Germany's largest collection of works on paper, at the Kulturforum: drawings and prints from Botticelli, Dürer, and Rembrandt to the present day.
September 15, 2026 – January 10, 2027
Cabinet exhibition marking the 300th birthday of the Berlin draftsman and etcher, with some twenty major works; shown in the cabinet of the Gemäldegalerie at the Kulturforum.
October 10, 2026 – January 31, 2027
More than 100 drawings by 28 Flemish artists from the period 1570 to 1650, all from the museum's own holdings – the first exhibition of its kind in half a century.
October 31, 2027 – January 30, 2028
Announced exhibition on Lucas Cranach and his images of people; further details have not yet been published.
The roots of the Kupferstichkabinett (Museum of Prints and Drawings) go back to 1652, when the Great Elector acquired a collection of some 2,500 drawings and watercolors. It was established as an independent department of the Royal Museums in the early 1830s; it gained international standing in 1835 with the purchase of the collection of Postmaster General Karl Ferdinand Friedrich von Nagler, which comprised more than 50,000 sheets, mainly old master prints.
In 1882, with the Duke of Hamilton's collection, Sandro Botticelli's drawings for Dante's Divine Comedy came to Berlin; later additions included the extensive estate of Adolph Menzel. During the Nazi era, the museum lost numerous modern works in the "Degenerate Art" campaign, though some were saved.
After World War II, the collection was divided between East and West Berlin. Only with the new building at the Kulturforum, opened in 1994 to designs by Hilmer & Sattler, were both parts reunited in one place.
Today the Kupferstichkabinett holds some 550,000 prints and 110,000 drawings, watercolors, pastels, and oil sketches spanning about a thousand years, as well as illuminated manuscripts and artists' books. It ranks among the four most important institutions of its kind worldwide. Because the works are sensitive to light, there is no permanent exhibition; the holdings are shown in changing exhibitions and can be viewed in the original in the study room.
| Adults | €8 |
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| Reduced | €4School students, apprentices, university students, people in voluntary service, job seekers receiving unemployment benefit (ALG I), and people with severe disabilities with a degree of disability (GdB) of 50 or more (proof required in each case) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and young people free until their 18th birthday. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €4companion free · Reduced with a degree of disability (GdB) of 50 or more; a necessary companion noted on the severe disability ID (Schwerbehindertenausweis) is admitted free. |
| Students & apprentices | €4 |
| Groups (10+ people) | –Groups of 10 or more must register in advance via the online ticket shop or the info service. |
| Families | –No family ticket; children and young people under 18 free. |
| Kulturforum area ticket (all exhibitions at the Kulturforum) | €22reduced €11 |
€8/€4 applies to the exhibition "Rubens, Jordaens, van Dyck" (October 10, 2026 – January 31, 2027); prices may vary by exhibition. Annual passes of the Staatliche Museen and the Museumspass Berlin are valid. The website describes use of the study room without stating a price.
According to the SMB, fully wheelchair-accessible; access via the Kulturforum foyer. Loan wheelchairs at many SMB museums – check availability in advance with the info service (030 266424242, Mon–Fri 9:00–16:00). Only trained assistance dogs allowed. Information in Easy Language and German Sign Language (DGS) on the SMB website.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
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Multi-day workshops for children aged 9 to 12 (e.g., "Der Strich geht spazieren" – Taking a Line for a Walk – in October 2026); further offerings in the family program of the Staatliche Museen at the Kulturforum. According to the house rules of the Staatliche Museen, certain strollers may have to be exchanged for strollers provided by the museum; children may not be carried in back carriers or on shoulders.
U2 and S1, S2, S25 to Potsdamer Platz; bus M29, M41, M48, M85, and 200.
No on-site parking at the museum.
The Staatliche Museen do not mention any parking and recommend arriving by public transport or bicycle.
Café and bookstore in the shared Kulturforum foyer; coat check and lockers there as well.
The Kupferstichkabinett itself is not offered as a rental venue; the Kulturforum foyer and Piazzetta are rented out by Museum&Location (kontakt@museum-location.de).
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
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| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Some temporary exhibitions also take place in other buildings, such as the cabinet of the Gemäldegalerie. Guided tours and events (e.g., "Schatzkammer Kupferstichkabinett") are listed in the SMB events calendar. |
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