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Museum of European Cultures

Museum of European Cultures

The Museum of European Cultures in Berlin-Dahlem is devoted to the lifeworlds in Europe and European cultural contacts from the 18th century until today.

Museum of European Cultures

The Museum of European Cultures features a permanent exhibition on the theme "Cultural Encounters - Life in Europe," as well as regularly rotating special exhibitions that focus on specific aspects of European culture.

Topics as diverse as the cultures of Europe

The collection comprises approximately 285,000 original objects from European everyday culture and popular art. The goal of the Museum of European Cultures is to promote intercultural exchange, overcome language barriers and link contemporary issues with historical collections. The Museum of European Cultures was established in 1999 through the merger of the then 110-year-old Museum of Folk Life with the European Collection of the former Museum of Ethnology. It is the only remaining museum at the former Dahlem Museum Center.

Highlights at the Museum of European Cultures

Particularly noteworthy are the unique artifacts from ethnic minorities in Europe, such as the Sami and the Crimean Tatars. Since 2011, the mechanical Christmas mountain from the Ore Mountains, covering an area of 15 square meters and featuring over 300 figures, some of which are movable, has also been attracting numerous visitors to the museum, especially during the winter months.

Museum of European Cultures: Current exhibitions and events

Cultural Contacts. Living in Europe

Spread over 700 square metres, the permanent exhibition 'Cultural Contacts. Living in Europe' is the first ever display of a cross-section of all the museum's diverse collections. It examines discussions on social movements and social boundaries. The... more

The Giant Mechanical Nativity Scene from the Ore Mountains

One highlight in the permanent exhibition at the Museum of European Cultures is the mechanical 'Weihnachtsberg', a giant nativity scene set in a hillside town that originates from the Erzgebirge, near the border of Germany and the Czech Republic, in the... more

Open-Air Cinema: Der Untergang des Alpenlandes – D.U.D.A! Werner Pirchner

The museum garden becomes a cinema: together with the Austrian Cultural Forum Berlin, the MEK presents an open-air film series exploring the people, landscapes and ways of life in and around the Tyrolean mountains. To close the film series, we turn to... more

Tyrolean Fairy Tale Breakfast

“All of this is yours, and you can take as much of these things as you want,” said the hunter, “if you keep it a secret from the people out there and remember my name.” The child, delighted and amazed, stammered a happy “Oh yes” and said she would certainly... more

Open-air cinema: Alpenland

The museum garden becomes a cinema: together with the Austrian Cultural Forum Berlin, the MEK presents an open-air film series exploring the people, landscapes and ways of life in and around the Tyrolean mountains. To kick things off, we are screening... more

Address, Opening Hours and Contact Information

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 Address
Arnimallee 25
14195 Berlin
Phone
+49 (0)30 266424242
Internet
www.smb.museum
Opening Hours
Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible, all floors are accessible by elevator.
Admission Fee
€10, concessions €5
Tickets
Book Tickets »

Public transportation

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Source: SMZB / Berlin.de

Last edited: 8 July 2026