Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kulturforum
ARCHITECTURE
PHILHARMONIE
Strasse 1; tour adult/concession €3/2;
tour 1.30pm;
200,
Potsdamer Platz,
Potsdamer
Platz)
A masterpiece of organic architecture, Hans Scharoun's 1963 iconic, honey-coloured con-
cert venue is the home base of the prestigious Berliner Philharmoniker. The auditorium feels
like the inside of a finely crafted instrument and boasts supreme acoustics and excellent
sightlines from every seat.
It's an imposing yet intimate hall with terraced and angled 'vineyard' seating wrapped
around a central orchestra stage. Tours (in German) meet at the artist entrance across the
parking lot facing Potsdamer Strasse. The adjacent Kammermusiksaal, also based on a
design by Scharoun, is essentially a more compact riff on the Philharmonie.
MUSEUM
KUNSTGEWERBEMUSEUM
thäikirchplatz; 200, Potsdamer Platz, Potsdamer Platz)
At press time this prestigious museum was still reorganising its prized collection of
European design and decorative arts from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, baroque and ro-
coco, art nouveau and art deco periods. When it reopens (perhaps in late 2014), a new high-
light will be the Fashion Gallery, with outfits and accessories from the past three centuries.
MUSEUM
MUSIKINSTRUMENTEN-MUSEUM
gartenstrasse 1, enter via Ben-Gurion-Strasse; adult/concession €6/3; 9am-5pm Tue, Wed & Fri,
9am-8pm Thu, 10am-5pm Sat & Sun; 200, Potsdamer Platz, Potsdamer Platz)
This darling museum is packed with fun, precious and rare sound machines, including the
glass harmonica invented by Ben Franklin, a flute played by Frederick the Great, and Jo-
hann Sebastian Bach's harpsichord. Stop at the listening stations to hear what some of the
more obscure instruments sound like.
There are also plenty of old trumpets, bizarre bagpipes and even a talking walking stick.
A crowd favourite is the Mighty Wurlitzer (1929), an organ with more buttons and keys
