Tours
Art on the Berlin Wall and the history of the East Side Gallery – tours at the East Side Gallery focus on these topics. When were the pictures painted and why? Who was involved and what did the Wall look like before it was painted?
For groups of up to 10 people, guided tours can be booked for different groups and at an individual date.
East Side Gallery compact
The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall. While the GDR border already had special features here, the former border elements gained worldwide attention after the fall of the Wall: 118 artists from 21 countries designed the east side of the Berlin Wall with their pictures to create the world's largest open air gallery. The guided tour deals with the history of the GDR border regime, the joy of the fall of the Wall and the artistic appropriation of the former barrier in 1990.
East Side Gallery - Focus: The Berlin Wall
In 1990, the artists painted their pictures on the Berlin Wall. From 1961 to 1989, it separated Friedrichshain in East Berlin from Kreuzberg in West Berlin. To expand the border area, the buildings on the banks of the Spree were demolished and people had to move. At least 13 people died in the area between Oberbaumbrücke and Ostbahnhof. In this guided tour, historical traces of the division are discovered and artworks of the East Side Gallery are presented that deal with life in the GDR and the overcoming of the SED dictatorship.
East Side Gallery - Focus: Art
In spring 1990, more than 100 artists from 21 countries created the longest open-air gallery along 1.3 kilometers of the former border. The art project transformed what had once been an instrument of power into a symbol of joy over the end of the GDR. The tour uses select murals to tell the history of the historical site.
East Side Gallery Highlight Tour: Upheaval 1989-90 and German Unification: Mixed Feelings?
The artists painted their messages for a united Europe on the Berlin Wall in 1990. Some took experiences from 1990 as the inspiration for their artwork. The more than one hundred artworks tell of hope and joy, but also of worries and disturbing experiences during the time of upheaval in 1989/90. As part of the tour, some artworks will be presented and a look will be taken at how the artists look back on German unity and the transformation more than 30 years after the fall of the Wall: What would they have painted on the Berlin Wall today? Are the messages still relevant?
East Side Gallery Highlight Tour: Who Does the City Belong To?
The East Side Gallery as a monument was listed as early as 1991 to preserve the painted remains of the Berlin Wall. At the same time, initial plans were developed for the urban development of the area around the gallery. The urban development plans and the monument protection found a solution, the result of which we can see today: The East Side Gallery remained in its original location with planned gaps in between - including access roads to the new buildings in the former border strip. The tour traces the discussions about the preservation of the East Side Gallery and, with the "Wagenburg" and the graffiti sprayers, makes visible the stories of people who appropriated the derelict area in the 1990s and were displaced.
East Side Gallery Highlight Tour: Art vs. Memorial?
The East Side Gallery was built in 1990 to celebrate the fall of the Wall. Over the years, the concrete crumbled and the colours peeled. In 2009, everything was put back to square one. During a renovation, the porous concrete wall was repaired and all the artworks were almost completely reapplied. Only one original from 1990 has survived to this day. The re-creation of the monument is still being discussed today.
Ask the Artist: Wall and Art
How did the artists experience the painting of the East Side Gallery in 1990? How did they develop the idea for their artwork? And what was their life like in the divided city of Berlin and after the fall of the Wall in 1989? What is their perspective on their art and the memorial today? Join an artist on a discovery tour at the East Side Gallery.
Become an Art Expert at the East Side Gallery!
A Family Tour
During this discovery tour, children aged 8 to 12 and their families learn about the history of the Berlin Wall and become experts on the art on the East Side Gallery. They seek answers to questions such as: Why was Berlin divided for 28 years? What happened to the Wall after the border opened? Why was the East Side Gallery created? The children work with the murals’ symbols and stories and are encouraged to develop their own understanding of the art.
Public guided tours of the East Side Gallery on various topics are organised on special occasions. The tours last around 1 hour and are conducted with audio guides. Booking is not necessary.
Meeting point
- Mühlenstraße 73, 10243 Berlin-Friedrichshain
The meeting point for all tours is the infomobile. It is located on the Spree side of the East Side Gallery, diagonally opposite Tamara-Danz-Strasse.
Live Speaking
Our guides are dedicated to the exchange of content along the East Side Gallery: They are on site as live speakers to show interested people the history of the East Side Gallery.
Web-App – Virtual Discovery Tour along the East Side Gallery
Ever since the East Side Gallery celebrated its 30th anniversary, the historic monument can be explored at any time and from any location: On September 27, 2020, the Berlin Wall Foundation released a browser-based tour app that provides a virtual tour with 360° views of the site. The interactive app provides background information, short videos with guides, historical photos, and also presents the podcast series “Feelings for the Future 1990” with East Side Gallery artists.