How to Explore the Free Art Scene in Berlin

As an art-lover, I really enjoy wandering around art galleries and museums on my travels as I find it gives me an aesthetic insight into the places’ culture and history. But, more often than not, the continuous entrance fees to institutions can all add up – especially if you’re wanting to visit temporary exhibitions as well as permanent collections.

Luckily, in most cities, there is a free art scene available on the streets which often provides an even better insight into contemporary culture and topical issues than museums and galleries because they are made by the ‘people’ and haven’t been hand selected by a board of museum directors.

In this new series on Wanderarti, I’ll be revealing a number of free arty things to do in cities around the world and what better way to kick it off than with the urban hotspot of Berlin? I visited a few years ago and was overwhelmed by the amount of cultural attractions and sights, but here I’ve whittled them down to a number of free arty things you can do around the city.

Free Art in Berlin

Wander the Wall: the East Side Gallery

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This list would be absolutely incomplete without this addition. Walking along the East Side Gallery is one of the most popular things to do in Berlin for any tourist, let alone art-inspired travellers. I spent a good few hours admiring the eclectic mix of paintings and illustrations on display, and I loved that each piece had its own highly charged political message as well as being beautiful to look at. With over 100 artists’ work from all over the world displayed here, it really is a fantastic and moving tribute to peace in the city.

Mooch around Museum Island

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Just at the top of Spree Island there’s a collection of museums and galleries all huddled together which have affectionately been called Museum Island. Consisting of the Pergamon, Bode, Neues, Alte Nationalgalerie, and the Altes Museum, the area offers a broad oversight into the art and culture of Berlin over the years. However, whilst you will probably have to pay to get into the exhibitions themselves, the amazing architecture of the museums is completely free to gawp at.

Dig out the discount days

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Whilst many of the museums and galleries in Berlin charge for entry, there are still a number that don’t, including the Berlin Wall Memorial and the contemporary Kunstraum Kreuzberg. Before you veto any museums for their entrance fees, make sure that they aren’t one of the few that allow visitors in for free.

Raid the flea markets

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Berlin is full of flea markets, particularly at the weekends when the streets seem to open up into vintage stores and furniture showrooms. You’ll have to part with some cash if you want to actually buy something, but if you simply want to browse some art then it’s absolutely free of charge. The best backdrops are Nowkoelln for local, contemporary artworks and Arkonaplatz, for a selection of quirky vintage finds.

Hit up Hackesher Hofe

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I don’t know how many galleries and museums there are in Berlin, but a considerable amount of them surround Hackesher Hofe, which is a network of picturesque courtyards lined with chic design stores and small galleries and studios. If you head down the sidestreets that curl their way around the squares you’ll find a selection of local art adorning the streets as well as tucked away behind some of the walls in the contemporary galleries. If you head there on a Thursday you might be lucky enough to pick up some free drinks and nibbles at a gallery opening – bonus!

Oggle the open air gallery

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In summer, the Oberbaumbrucke branches out into an open air gallery with local artists exhibiting their work up and down its length. On stalls and in makeshift temporary galleries, you can get up close and personal with the contemporary art scene in the city on a first-hand basis. The works are for sale, too, but of course you’ll have to part with some cash for this.

Berlin is a maze of artistic talent and cultural attractions and, if you look hard enough, you’ll see that there’s many free arty things to do in the city. If you’re on a budget or simply want to get away from the main collection of museums, then this list will hopefully help you out.

Have you been to Berlin? What arty things did you get up to whilst there?

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Finally… Musement, a site offering museum tickets, art tours, and cultural activities has kindly let Wanderarti readers get €5 off purchases. Just use the code WANDERARTI and you can get discounted offers all over Europe!