Berlin with Family in 2019

For 28 years, the Berlin Wall kept east and west Berlin, and by extension, Germany, separate. The wall finally came down in November 1989, and it was cause for massive celebrations.

Now, 30 years later, the city is celebrating the anniversary with a number of events and festivities. It is the perfect time to plan a trip to Berlin with the entire family. Whether your family loves museums, music or other festivals, there is something going on in Berlin in 2019 and beyond.

The biggest and most historically relevant event to commemorate the fall of the wall is a weeklong festival which will transform the city into an open-air art show and festival. Nov. 4–10 will see the city play host to the biggest celebration it has ever seen.

During the week, large-scale presentations of historical photographs and films will be presented on projectors around the city. Visitors will also be invited to experience the “peaceful revolution” firsthand at a number of sites recreating the sights and sounds of the night the wall came down.

The festival culminates with a giant concert the night of Nov. 9. Dozens of musicians will take to the stage as the weeklong celebration comes to an end in a giant party marking 30 years since the fall of the wall. If live festivals and art exhibitions aren’t your favorite, the city has plenty more to offer visitors.

Year over year, Berlin tourism continues to grow. Las year was Berlin’s biggest ever for tourism, when the city hosted 32.87 million overnight visitors. Overnight visitors from the United States clocked in at 1.273 million in 2018.

Berlin is home to 15,192 eateries with 26 Michelin stars, including five restaurants with two stars. There are more than 150,000 hotel beds in Berlin, and the numbers are constantly growing.

Tourist in Berlin. Photo: Rosshelen | Dreamstime.com

The big museum news began in the fall of 2017 when the street art museum Urban Nation-Museum of Urban Contemporary Art opened to the public. The space gives visitors a chance to take in traditional Berlin street art in a venue designed to highlight what would have been graffiti in the past. Admission to the museum is free and makes a great way to spend some time in the city.

One of Berlin’s most famous museums and sites to view art, the Pergamon Altar is closed for repairs and renovations until the early 2020s. To compensate, local artist Yadegar Asisi created a panorama to offer visitors and locals a glimpse into the ancient city. The panorama also includes 80 classical sculptures and nine multimedia pieces from the Altar. Take the family to the panorama for a glimpse into history while visiting Berlin for the modern festivities. This is Berlin’s most popular museum for a reason.

Finally, a recent addition to Berlin’s museum offerings is the PalaisPopulaire. The space is presented by Deutsche Bank and creates a space for diverse programming, including a number of types of art, culture and sports. The museum shows a constantly changing collection from Deutsche Bank’s collection and also hosts concerts, readings and sports events. The space opened last fall and presents a great opportunity to introduce kids and family members to culture without the stuffiness of a traditional museum.

Berlin continues to bolster its roster of museums, cultural attractions and festivities.

This year looks to be a year of continued celebration and remembrance in more ways than the celebration of the 30^th anniversary of the fall of the wall, as 2019 is also The Bauhaus Centenary. The university was closed by National Socialists in 1933. In its 14 years of operation, the Bauhaus was influential. There are events scheduled all year to celebrate the centenary.

Families visiting and interested in how current technologies and problems will shape the future have another museum to look forward to beginning this fall. The Futurium will host presentations and exhibits questioning the future of various pursuits, including politics, science, business, arts and society as the first questions of discussion.

Families who like to explore new destinations on foot can discover Berlin with 20 Green Walks in Berlin. This organization outlines 20 trails covering more than 350 miles, and will keep the entire family occupied while they explore the city, one trail at a time and between cultural sites.

After all of the new options are exhausted, Berlin is still home to many landmarks and icons. The Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, Checkpoint Charlie and the Jewish Museum are all incredible sights and experiences worth seeing.

There is no question any family visiting Berlin in 2019 has a wealth of ways to spend their time. Whether traveling as a single family or with the entire extended family, Berlin has attractions to appeal to everyone.