What is the Altes Museum?
The "Old Museum", designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel and opened in 1830, is the oldest museum on Museum Island and one of the finest neoclassical buildings in Germany. Its long colonnade faces the Lustgarten and the Berlin Cathedral. Inside, a domed rotunda inspired by Rome's Pantheon is lined with classical statues.
Today it houses the Antikensammlung: the art of ancient Greece, the Etruscans and Rome, including sculpture, vases, jewellery and portrait busts of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra.
Tickets and passes
Tickets have time slots, and you can usually enter up to 15 minutes after your slot. Tickets are non-refundable.
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How busy is it?
Crowds by day and time
From the typical weekly visitor pattern for Altes Museum, based on Google’s popular-times data.
Least busy time
Friday, 10 am-12 pm
Busiest time
Tuesday, 10 am-4 pm
What to see
- The rotunda: Schinkel's domed hall with Roman and Greek statues.
- Greek sculpture and vases, including red- and black-figure pottery.
- The Etruscan collection, one of the most important outside Italy.
- Roman portraits, including Julius Caesar and Cleopatra.
- The treasury of gold and silver, including the Hildesheim silver treasure.
- The view from the colonnade over the Lustgarten and the cathedral.
Plans by visitor type
Museum Island in a day
Neues Museum at 10 am (Nefertiti), lunch, Altes Museum at 1:30 pm, then the Alte Nationalgalerie or Bode-Museum. A Day Ticket covers them all.
Families
Under 18s are free. Kids like the coins, the helmets and the gold. Keep the visit to an hour.
Limited mobility
There's step-free access via a lift. Ask at the entrance.
Mistakes to avoid
- Planning a Monday visit.
- Buying single tickets for three island museums instead of the Day Ticket.
- Bringing under 18s without a free ticket.
History
The Altes Museum (Old Museum) was the first museum on Museum Island, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel and opened in 1830. With its 18 Ionic columns and a central rotunda modelled on the Pantheon in Rome, it's one of the masterpieces of neoclassical architecture. It was badly damaged in World War II and restored in the 1960s. Today it houses the Collection of Classical Antiquities: Greek, Etruscan and Roman art.
Is the Altes Museum worth it?
Yes, especially on a Museum Island Day Ticket: Schinkel's building and rotunda are magnificent, the collection is world-class, and it's calmer than its neighbours.
FAQs
How much is the Altes Museum?
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€14 for adults and €7 reduced. Under 18s are free with a ticket.
Is the Altes Museum closed on Mondays?
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Yes.
Is there a Museum Island ticket?
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Yes, the Museum Island Day Ticket costs €24 and covers all five museums for a day.
How long do you need?
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1.5-2 hours.
What's the best time to visit?
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Weekday mornings. Check our live crowd tracker for your date.
Heading to Altes Museum?
See how busy it is right now and the quietest hours for your date, then walk in when the line is short.
Check live crowds →Sources
How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other, and dated so you know how fresh it is. Last checked 29 October 2026. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.
