Berlin Off the Beaten Path: 3 Must-See Museums for Families

When visiting a city as historic as Berlin, there are plenty of obligatory tourist stops for family travelers, like the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the Berlin Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie. But this fascinating city is a hotbed of cultural activity covering an incredibly diverse range of interests. While you could get lost visiting Museum Island, a collection of five world-class museums housing priceless international artifacts such as a 3,000-year-old bust of Nefertiti, exploring Berlin’s lesser-known museums gives the family a true feel for the breadth of this city’s unique history and culture.

Museum der Dinge (The Museum of Things)

This fun museum chronicles the culture created by the Werkbund tradition, one in which a group of German artists, designers and manufacturers pushed for way-of-life reforms throughout the 20^th and 21^st centuries, resulting in the modern material culture we know today. By exploring the collections of approximately 40,000 objects and just as many documents, visitors can view everything from televisions to toys that helped define modern culture.

Illuseum Berlin

Many museums exhibit artifacts depicting various stages and forms of human art and history, but Illuseum Berlin is a museum of experience every member of the family can enjoy. Games and puzzles for young minds let children play, compete and learn, while interactive illusion exhibits, like the Vortex Tunnel and the Ames Room with distorted walls and various textures, give your mind a workout and make you question the reality you see and feel.

Computerspielemuseum (The Computer Game Museum)

As the world’s first museum dedicated to computer games, this fun spot is a great place to spend a day checking out the history of digital entertainment. More than 300 permanent exhibits cover the history of computerized gaming, a phenomenon deeply rooted in modern culture. Playable games like Asteroids and Space Invaders, along with artwork enhancing the interactive exhibits, let you experience firsthand how our species has evolved into one that fully embraces the digital age.