To see the Berlin Wall today, two places are enough: the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Straße, with 1.4 km (0.9 mi) of open-air exhibition on the former border strip, and the East Side Gallery, more than 1.3 km (0.8 mi) of painted wall beside the Spree. Both are run by the Berlin Wall Foundation (Stiftung Berliner Mauer) and entry is free. This page gives the official opening hours, a route through the remains in a logical order, the key dates and, for each month, the sunset time at the memorial.
The Wall is usually visited during a two- or three-day stay: our Berlin travel guide covers the best season, the neighborhoods and the month-by-month climate.
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Berlin Wall: key facts
- Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Straße (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer): outdoor exhibition 8 am–10 pm every day; documentation center and visitor center Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am–6 pm (last ascent of the observation tower at 5:45 pm) — checked on 23 October 2026 on stiftung-berliner-mauer.de
- Price: free entry to all the foundation’s exhibitions; public guided tours €5 (reduced €3) — checked on 23 October 2026 on stiftung-berliner-mauer.de
- Booking: none for an individual visit; required for groups — checked on 23 October 2026 on stiftung-berliner-mauer.de
- East Side Gallery: wall visible at all times on Mühlenstraße; information point at no. 73 open every day 10 am–5 pm, closed on Fridays from November — checked on 23 October 2026 on stiftung-berliner-mauer.de
- Memorial centers closed on 24, 25 and 31 December 2026; special opening on 9 November 2026 (anniversary of the fall of the Wall), 10 am–6 pm.
The Berlin Wall: key dates
According to the Berlin Wall Foundation, the Wall, 155 km (96 mi) long, encircled West Berlin from 13 August 1961 to 9 November 1989. It was meant to stop East Germans (GDR citizens) from fleeing to the West: by August 1961, the country had lost a sixth of its population, at least four million people.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1952 | The GDR closes its border with West Germany; in Berlin, the sector boundaries stay open |
| 13 August 1961 | The ruling party (SED) seals off West Berlin, first with barbed wire, then with walls a few days later |
| 1963 | A border zone is created on the East side, closed off by a fence |
| Mid-1960s | Buildings are demolished to create a uniform border strip (a clear « field of view and fire ») |
| 1970s | A second wall, the « rear wall » (hinterland wall), is added on the East Berlin side |
| Late 1970s | The border wall is rebuilt; the « Grenzmauer 75 » element is 3.6 m (12 ft) high |
| 9 November 1989 | Fall of the Wall |
| 28 September 1990 | Opening of the East Side Gallery |
| 2 October 1990 | The East Berlin city authority lists the section of Bernauer Straße alongside the Sophien cemetery as a protected monument |
| 13 August 1998 | Inauguration of the Bernauer Straße memorial |
Between 1961 and 1989, at least 140 people were killed at the Wall or died in connection with the border regime, including 101 who were trying to flee, according to the foundation’s research project. At least 251 travelers also died during or after crossing at the border checkpoints. These figures explain the restraint of the sites: Bernauer Straße is a memorial before it is a tourist attraction.
Route through the remains: the suggested order
We have ranked the main places run or documented by the foundation in an order that follows the historical logic: first understand, then see the art that came out of the fall.
| Stop | What to see | Official access |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Berlin Wall Memorial, Bernauer Straße | Visitor center (introductory film), open-air exhibition, Window of Remembrance, Chapel of Reconciliation, observation tower of the documentation center | S-Bahn Nordbahnhof (S1, S2, S25, S26); U8 Bernauer Straße |
| 2. Checkpoint Charlie | Former border crossing at Friedrichstraße / Zimmerstraße; temporary open-air exhibition in front of the Asisi panorama | U6 Kochstraße |
| 3. East Side Gallery | More than 100 paintings on the « rear wall » of Mühlenstraße, between Ostbahnhof and Oberbaumbrücke | S+U Warschauer Straße; bus 300 |
Stop 1: Bernauer Straße. Start at the visitor center (Bernauer Straße 119), which shows an introductory film, then cross over to the outdoor exhibition. Over 1.4 km (0.9 mi), it shows remains of the border installations, traces on the ground of the demolished buildings, a street (Bergstraße) cleared beneath the border strip and archaeological windows; markers in the ground flag events, including escape tunnels. The main area, from Gartenstraße to Strelitzer Straße, is about 500 m (547 yd) long. From Tuesday to Friday, from 12:00 to 12:15, a moment of reflection in the Chapel of Reconciliation reads out the biography of a victim, with no registration needed. Then go up the observation tower of the documentation center (Bernauer Straße 111) to see the border strip from above — checked on 23 October 2026 on stiftung-berliner-mauer.de.
Stop 2: Checkpoint Charlie. The most famous former crossing point no longer has any wall; the foundation presents a temporary open-air exhibition there and is preparing a « Checkpoint Charlie Forum », whose construction is due to start in 2030 — the foundation’s Checkpoint Charlie page.
Stop 3: East Side Gallery. More than 118 artists from 21 countries painted this section from 1990, making it, according to the foundation, the longest open-air gallery in the world; it has been a listed monument since November 1991. A special feature: this is the rear wall, facing East Berlin, built here in 3.6 m (12 ft) elements because the street served as a « protocol route » for official visitors to the GDR. On the Spree side, the river itself formed the border — checked on 23 October 2026 on stiftung-berliner-mauer.de.
Opening hours and closures
| Place | Official hours | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Bernauer Straße memorial — outdoor exhibition | 8 am–10 pm (lighting switched off after 10 pm) | Every day |
| Documentation center (observation tower) | 10 am–6 pm; last ascent 5:45 pm | Tuesday to Sunday |
| Visitor center | 10 am–6 pm | Tuesday to Sunday |
| « Ghost Stations » exhibition (Nordbahnhof station) | S-Bahn station hours | Every day |
| East Side Gallery — information point (Mühlenstraße 73) | 10 am–5 pm | Every day; closed on Fridays from November; closed 24 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 |
On Mondays, the two memorial buildings are closed but the outdoor exhibition remains accessible. On 9 November and 13 August, Bernauer Straße hosts the official ceremonies; check the program if you visit on those days.
Tickets, free entry and guided tours
There is no ticket to buy: all of the foundation’s exhibitions are free. Only guided tours are paid: €5 (reduced €3), €7 for tours of more than 90 minutes (reduced €4); free for children under 7 and for people with severe disabilities. For groups, the foundation offers tours in languages other than German on request, subject to guide availability. Be wary of sites that sell a « ticket » for the Wall: you are then only paying for a tour organized by a third party.
Best time to see the Berlin Wall
The Bernauer Straße outdoor exhibition is open from 8 am to 10 pm, but it is best read in daylight. We calculated the sunset time at the memorial on the 15th of each month, with the German Weather Service (DWD) normals published on our Berlin page.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Max temp | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:10 | 16:21 | 8 h 12 | 3.2 °C (38 °F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) |
| February | 07:23 | 17:18 | 9 h 55 | 4.9 °C (41 °F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| March | 06:21 | 18:10 | 11 h 49 | 9.0 °C (48 °F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) |
| April | 06:09 | 20:04 | 13 h 55 | 15.1 °C (59 °F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 05:10 | 20:55 | 15 h 45 | 19.6 °C (67 °F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| June | 04:42 | 21:31 | 16 h 48 | 22.9 °C (73 °F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| July | 05:01 | 21:22 | 16 h 22 | 25.0 °C (77 °F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| August | 05:48 | 20:32 | 14 h 44 | 24.8 °C (77 °F) | 52 mm (2.0 in) |
| September | 06:40 | 19:22 | 12 h 42 | 19.8 °C (68 °F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| October | 07:31 | 18:12 | 10 h 41 | 13.9 °C (57 °F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| November | 07:27 | 16:13 | 8 h 46 | 7.7 °C (46 °F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| December | 08:10 | 15:52 | 7 h 41 | 4.1 °C (39 °F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
How to read it: in December, the sun sets around 3:50 pm and the day lasts less than 8 hours; visit Bernauer Straße in the morning and keep the East Side Gallery, lit by the city, for late afternoon. In June, daylight lasts until after 9:30 pm: the outdoor exhibition is easy to walk after dinner. May and September combine long days with temperatures around 20 °C (68 °F).
Getting there, accessibility and common mistakes
Bernauer Straße: S-Bahn Nordbahnhof (S1, S2, S25, S26), tram M10, bus 247, U-Bahn U6 (Naturkundemuseum) or U8 (Bernauer Straße). East Side Gallery: S+U Warschauer Straße (S3, S5, S7, S9, S75, U1, U3), trams M10 and M13, buses 347 and 300. The memorial centers are wheelchair accessible, and the outdoor exhibition is accessible « with conditions »; wheelchairs and folding stools are lent free of charge at the visitor center — checked on 23 October 2026 on stiftung-berliner-mauer.de.
- Coming on a Monday for the observation tower: it is closed that day.
- Looking for the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie: there is none left; the most telling remains are on Bernauer Straße.
- Writing on, or sticking stickers on, the East Side Gallery: it is a listed monument.
- Filming for professional use without permission: all filming must be declared to the foundation.
- Arriving after 10 pm at Bernauer Straße: the outdoor exhibition lighting is switched off.
What to see nearby
For the rest of your stay, see our Berlin guide and, if you are continuing in Germany, our page on the best time to visit Germany and the one on Munich.
Frequently asked questions
Where can you see the Berlin Wall today?
The two main preserved sections are the Bernauer Straße memorial (1.4 km / 0.9 mi of open-air exhibition) and the East Side Gallery (more than 1.3 km / 0.8 mi of painted wall on Mühlenstraße), both run by the Berlin Wall Foundation.
Is it free to visit the Berlin Wall?
Yes. According to the Berlin Wall Foundation, entry to all its exhibitions is free. Only guided tours are paid (€5, reduced €3).
What are the opening hours of the Bernauer Straße memorial?
The outdoor exhibition is accessible from 8 am to 10 pm every day. The documentation center and the visitor center are open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.
How long was the Berlin Wall?
The border around West Berlin was 155 km (96 mi) long, according to the Berlin Wall Foundation. It existed from 13 August 1961 to 9 November 1989.
Our sources
- Berlin Wall Foundation (stiftung-berliner-mauer.de): visitor information (hours, prices, access, accessibility, FAQ), history of the Wall, victims, outdoor exhibition, East Side Gallery, Checkpoint Charlie, consulted on 23 October 2026
- Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD): 1991–2020 normals, Berlin-Brandenburg station, taken from our Berlin page
- Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, IANA Europe/Berlin time zone, applied by Destination de Voyage to the approximate coordinates of the Bernauer Straße memorial (15th of each month, year 2027)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.
