This old-school history museum is a rewarding stop for anyone keen on learning how the medieval trading village of Berlin-Cölln evolved into today’s metropolis. The exhibits take you on a virtual walk through the city's streets and quarters, from the medieval Klosterviertel to the socialist Stalinallee boulevard. Paintings and sculpture, artefacts, furniture and objects from daily life illustrate the urban evolution, while scale models help visually demonstrate the city's physical growth.
Forming part of the exhibit are four grand historic halls, including the Gothic Hall, with its displays of medieval religious art, the Guild Hall and the Weapons Hall. It's all housed in an imposing mash-up of parts of historic buildings from the surrounding region, including a tower modelled after that of a bishop's palace and the Gothic gables of a church. A copy of the Roland statue, a medieval symbol of civic liberty and freedom, stands guard at the museum entrance.
