Berlin's Museum Island: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

The tour takes you on an easy walk from the Lustgarten and Berliner Schloss into the roots of both Prussian militarism and the Enlightenment (by way of the inspirational lives of Frederick the Great and architect Friedrich Schinkel). Start the tour in the app, put your phone in your pocket, and let your guide direct you through the streets. The total walking distance is approximately 1 km and takes about an hour without stopping, but you can pause anytime. Most people will opt to finish with a visit to one of Museum Island's five museums or coffee and cake at the superb German Historical Museum café. The narration is crisply mastered by a professional audio engineering staff, creating an engaging experience that is suitable for all ages that can wear ear buds.

We start our tour in the Lustgarten, a square that for centuries was Berlin's seat of power.

Hear the rich history of the Schloss and how it has been both treasured and vilified at times.

We'll cross the famed Schlossbruecke and point out the features that celebrate Prussia's militaristic philosophy.

Your guide will paint a picture of the architects vision to keep the history of the original building alive.

You can pause the tour anytime to enter the German Historical Museum or the other institutions near and on Museum Island as you pass them.

Learn the story of how many of the Altes Museum's great murals were lost in 1944, and listen to the words of a young 1850's factory worker as he describes his emotional first impression of the museum.