Militärhistorisches Museum Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The museum's roots go back to 1957, when the first uniforms and pieces of equipment of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) were collected at the Uetersen air base in Schleswig-Holstein. This led to the founding of the Luftwaffenmuseum Uetersen in 1963, whose collection grew over decades and was taken over by the Bundeswehr in 1987.

Gatow airfield in southwest Berlin was established in 1934/35 as a training facility for the Nazi Luftwaffe; pilots and technicians were trained here, as were general staff officers. After its capture by the Red Army in April 1945, the British took over the site in the summer of 1945. During the Berlin Blockade of 1948/49, Gatow was one of the landing sites of the Berlin Airlift and thus a lifeline for West Berlin.

After the Allies withdrew in 1994, the airfield passed to the Bundeswehr, which moved its aviation collection here from northern Germany. The Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr opened in Gatow in September 1995. In 2011 it was incorporated as a branch into the Bundeswehr Museum of Military History (Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr), headquartered in Dresden, and renamed.

Today the site of roughly 100 hectares, with hangars, control tower, and the old airfield fire station, presents the permanent exhibition "Zwischenlandung" on more than a hundred years of military aviation, the exhibition "You can't miss Gatow" on the history of the site, and, on the outdoor grounds, a large collection of Cold War aircraft and weapon systems from East and West.

Highlights

• Cold War aircraft and weapon systems from East and West on the outdoor grounds
• Douglas C-47 "Dakota" commemorating the Berlin Airlift
• Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and an East German Army (NVA) MiG-29
• Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket-powered fighter
• Walk-in bunker in the exhibition "Zwischenlandung"
• Historic airfield with hangars and control tower as an authentic site

Permanent exhibitions

• Zwischenlandung – A tour through more than a hundred years of military aviation in eight eras, with eyewitness interviews, hands-on stations, and a walk-in bunker.
• You can't miss Gatow – The exhibition in Hangar 3 tells the story of the airfield, from Nazi rearmament through the Berlin Airlift to the Cold War.
• Außengelände – The outdoor grounds display Cold War combat, transport, and training aircraft as well as air defense and radar systems from East and West.

Founded

1957

Operated by

Bundeswehr (Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr, Dresden)

Visitors per year

approx. 60,000 (2017)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission; guided tours and workshops are also free.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: not available
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The outdoor grounds, special exhibitions in the tower, and the permanent exhibition "Zwischenlandung" are accessible; the upper floor of Hangar 3 ("You can't miss Gatow") has no elevator. No Braille materials. For people with walking disabilities, arriving by car is recommended (parking on site).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Activity stations for families (including a sliding puzzle, a telescope with search tasks, historic 3D images, and a small walk-in bunker), guided by the characters Pat, George, and Dakota the dachshund. The museum asks that children be accompanied through the exhibition, given the topics of the military and war. Tours and workshops for families free on request.

Getting there & parking

Reachable by car via the B2. The walk from the stop takes about 10 minutes according to the visitor page, and 10–15 minutes according to the accessibility page.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available

No café; Hangar 3 has vending machines with snacks and cold drinks.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit