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Humboldt Forum Berlin: Free Entry, Big Controversy — Is It Worth Visiting?
- Yusuf Ucuz
- Mar 23
- 6 min read
Berlin spent €680 million rebuilding a Baroque palace and turning it into one of Europe's newest cultural centers. The result is the Humboldt Forum — a building that manages to be simultaneously one of the most impressive and most controversial museums in Germany.
The controversy is real. But so is the fact that large parts of the Humboldt Forum are completely free to visit, and the exhibitions inside are genuinely world-class.
Here's an honest guide to what's inside, what it costs, and whether it's worth your time.
What Is the Humboldt Forum?
The Humboldt Forum is a massive cultural complex on the site of the former Berlin Palace (Berliner Schloss), directly across from Museum Island. Named after the brothers Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt, it opened in stages between 2020 and 2022.
The building is enormous — over 30,000 square metres of exhibition space, managed by four institutions under one roof:
Ethnological Museum (Ethnologisches Museum) — One of the world's largest collections of non-European art and artifacts. Around 20,000 objects on display, from monumental boats from Oceania to pre-Columbian gold.
Museum of Asian Art (Museum für Asiatische Kunst) — Japanese tea rooms, Chinese court art, Buddhist sculptures, and South Asian art spanning thousands of years.
BERLIN GLOBAL — A 4,000 sqm interactive exhibition exploring Berlin's connections with the world. Rooms cover revolution, free space, war, fashion, and entertainment. Highly interactive — you can spin a wheel of history, step inside a giant disco ball, or look through telescopes in the windows.
Humboldt Lab & free exhibitions — The Palace Cellar, Sculpture Hall, Video Panorama, and the stairwell exhibition about the Humboldt brothers. All free, no ticket needed.
What's Free at the Humboldt Forum?
This is one of the most underrated things about the Humboldt Forum — a significant portion is completely free:
The Palace Cellar (Schlosskeller). Original archaeological remains of the Berlin Palace foundations, preserved underground. You're walking through 500 years of history beneath your feet. Allow 30 minutes.
The Sculpture Hall & Video Panorama. An introduction to the history of the site — from royal palace to GDR parliament to modern museum. The video panorama is surprisingly well done.
The Humboldt Lab. Currently hosting the exhibition "On Water: Water Knowledge in Berlin." Free entry, rotating exhibitions.
The grand staircase. Features the permanent exhibition "Impressions: The Humboldt Brothers" — free and worth a look.
The building itself. The entrance hall, courtyard (Schlüterhof), and the reconstructed Baroque facades are all accessible without a ticket. The architecture alone is worth the stop.
What Does It Cost?
Since October 2025, the Humboldt Forum uses a single ticket system (prices verified March 2026):
Day ticket: €14 (€7 reduced). Covers all paid exhibitions including the Ethnological Museum, Museum of Asian Art, BERLIN GLOBAL, and temporary exhibitions.
Two-day ticket: €18 (€9 reduced). Smart option if you want to visit at a relaxed pace — the collections are vast.
BERLIN GLOBAL only: €9 (free for students, under-18s, and other eligible groups). A discounted option if you only want the Berlin exhibition.
Under 19: Always free.
Museum Pass Berlin: The €32 three-day pass includes entry to the Ethnological Museum and Museum of Asian Art collections. For a full comparison: Museum Pass vs. Single Tickets
Why Is the Humboldt Forum Berlin Controversial?
The Humboldt Forum is probably Berlin's most debated building. There are three main areas of controversy:
The reconstruction itself. Germany spent €680 million rebuilding three Baroque facades of a royal palace that the GDR deliberately demolished in 1950 as a symbol of imperialism. Critics call it "Prussian Disneyland" — a nostalgic reconstruction of a building that represents monarchy and militarism. Supporters say the original demolition was a political act by a dictatorship, and that Berlin's historic center deserved its architectural identity back.
The colonial collections. The Ethnological Museum holds approximately 530 objects from the Kingdom of Benin (modern-day Nigeria) — the so-called Benin Bronzes — which were looted by British troops in 1897. Germany has pledged to return these objects to Nigeria, and a restitution process is underway. Around 40 Benin Bronzes remain on display as loans, with an exhibition explaining the restitution process. This isn't a resolved issue — it's an active, evolving conversation.
The cross on the dome. The reconstructed dome features a golden cross and an inscription from King Friedrich Wilhelm IV calling for submission to Christianity. On a building that's supposed to celebrate world cultures — including many non-Christian ones — this struck many people as tone-deaf at best.
The Building's Wild History
The story of this site is one of Berlin's most dramatic:
The Berlin Palace stood here for centuries as the residence of Prussian kings and German emperors. It was damaged during WWII but still standing. In 1950, the GDR demolished it — calling it a symbol of imperialism — and replaced it with the Palast der Republik, a modernist glass building that served as the East German parliament and cultural center.
After reunification, the Palast der Republik was found to be full of asbestos and was closed. After years of debate, it was demolished between 2006 and 2008. Construction of the Humboldt Forum began in 2013, and the building opened in stages from 2020 to 2022.
So this single spot has been a royal palace, a bombed ruin, a communist parliament, a demolition site, and now a museum — all within living memory. Three facades are Baroque reconstructions; the fourth (facing the Spree River) is a modern design by Italian architect Franco Stella.
👉 We tell this story at Stop 7 on our walking tour, standing right in front of the building. For the full Before & After story, read: Hackescher Markt Before and After
Is It Worth Visiting?
Yes — with the right expectations.
If you're interested in non-European art and cultures, the Ethnological Museum and Asian Art collections are genuinely extraordinary. These collections were previously housed in Dahlem (far from the center) and are now much more accessible.
BERLIN GLOBAL is one of the most engaging city exhibitions in Europe — interactive, thoughtful, and fun even for people who don't usually enjoy museums.
And if you don't want to pay anything, the free areas alone — the Palace Cellar, Video Panorama, Sculpture Hall, and the building itself — are worth 30–45 minutes of your time. It's one of the best free experiences in central Berlin.
Practical Details
Opening hours: Monday + Wednesday–Sunday, 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM. Closed Tuesdays.
Time needed: The Ethnological Museum takes ~90 minutes, Asian Art ~90 minutes, BERLIN GLOBAL ~2 hours. Free areas take 30–45 minutes. A full visit is a half-day.
Getting there: U5 Museumsinsel or Unter den Linden, Bus 100/200 to Lustgarten, Tram M1/M12 to Am Kupfergraben. A 10-minute walk from Alexanderplatz.
Tickets: Book online in advance at humboldtforum.org. Time-slot tickets are recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Humboldt Forum free?
Partially. The Palace Cellar, Sculpture Hall, Video Panorama, Humboldt Lab, and stairwell exhibitions are all free. The main exhibitions (Ethnological Museum, Asian Art, BERLIN GLOBAL) require a €14 day ticket. Under 19 is always free for everything.
How much does the Humboldt Forum cost?
€14 for a day ticket, €18 for a two-day ticket, or €9 for BERLIN GLOBAL only. The Museum Pass Berlin (€32 for 3 days) also covers the Ethnological Museum and Museum of Asian Art.
Why was the Humboldt Forum built?
To give Berlin's ethnological and Asian art collections a central home (they were previously in suburban Dahlem), to restore the historic city center's architectural identity after the GDR demolished the original palace, and to create a cultural forum for global dialogue. The decision was debated for over a decade before construction began.
What happened to the Benin Bronzes?
Germany has pledged to return its Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. Most have been officially transferred, though around 40 remain on display in the Humboldt Forum as loans, alongside an exhibition explaining the restitution process. It's an ongoing conversation between Germany and Nigeria
See It on My Walking Tour
The Humboldt Forum is Stop 7 on our free walking tour. We stand directly in front of the building and tell the full story — from royal palace to GDR parliament to €680 million reconstruction.
It's one of those stops where the building's exterior tells a story that's just as interesting as what's inside. And from this spot, you can see both the Humboldt Forum and the Berliner Dom across the Lustgarten — one of the best views in central Berlin.
📍 Our free walking tour meets at Alexanderplatz, World Clock
After the tour, walk inside and explore the free exhibitions — or book a ticket and spend the rest of the afternoon in the collections.
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