The East Side Gallery is a free outdoor gallery on a 1.3 km stretch of the Berlin Wall along Mühlenstraße, between Ostbahnhof and Oberbaumbrücke. You can visit the murals at any time. Allow about an hour for a relaxed walk with time to stop, read and take photographs.
Painted in 1990 after the Wall fell, the gallery brings together art about freedom, division and political change. It is also a historic border site: look beyond the famous photographs to understand the place and the people whose lives the Wall shaped.
How to get to the East Side Gallery
Ostbahnhof and Warschauer Straße are useful stations at opposite ends of the walk. Warschauer Straße has S-Bahn and U-Bahn connections; bus 300 also serves the gallery area. Check the BVG journey planner for your route and current disruptions rather than relying on a fixed list of services.
The gallery is at Mühlenstraße 47–80 in Friedrichshain. The Berlin Wall Foundation’s visitor information centre is at Mühlenstraße 73. See its official map and visitor information for access details.
Photo by Marie Rouilly on Unsplash
Admission, access and the best time to visit
Walking along the gallery is free, and the outdoor site is accessible around the clock. The visitor information centre has separate opening hours. The paved route along Mühlenstraße is suitable for wheelchair users; the riverside paths have different access conditions.
Daylight makes it easier to appreciate the paintings. An early start can be a good choice for photographs, although quiet conditions are never guaranteed. This is an outdoor visit, so bring a rain layer or sun protection as the weather requires.
What to do nearby
Continue towards Oberbaumbrücke for views across the Spree and the connection between Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. For a longer neighbourhood walk, explore the streets around Simon-Dach-Straße and Boxhagener Platz for cafés and places to eat. RAW-Gelände offers another perspective on the area’s art and culture; check individual venues before visiting.
Visitor tips
Leave space for other visitors and keep the pavement clear when taking photographs.
Respect the paintings and the historic structure: do not write on or damage the Wall.
Wear comfortable shoes and plan for an outdoor walk.
Use the official visitor information when you need current facilities or accessibility details.
The view of the Oberbaum Brücke from Warschauer Strasse U-Bahn Station
Photo by Norbert Braun on Unsplash
East Side Gallery or Berlin Wall Memorial?
The East Side Gallery is especially useful for exploring art made after the fall of the Wall. The Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Straße helps explain the border system and the lives affected by it. They offer different perspectives and can complement each other. Our guide to where to see the Berlin Wall today introduces other surviving sites.
“My God, Help Me To Survive This Deadly Love!”
Photo by Pascal Bernardon on Unsplash
Three murals to look for
Dmitri Vrubel’s “My God, Help Me Survive This Deadly Love”, often called the “Fraternal Kiss”, depicts Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker. These names refer to the same mural.
Birgit Kinder’s “Test the Rest” shows a Trabant breaking through the Wall. The painting was originally titled “Test the Best”; its title changed during the later restoration.
Susanne Kunjappu-Jellinek’s “Curriculum Vitae” records the years of the Wall’s existence. Its later version uses roses to remember people who died at the Wall.
The Foundation’s East Side Gallery online exhibition explains the artists, works and history in more depth.
Questions about visiting
Do I need a ticket?
No ticket is needed to walk along the outdoor gallery. Organised tours and other programmes may have their own charges and booking requirements.
How much time should I allow?
Allow about an hour as a practical starting point, and longer if you want to study the murals or visit nearby sights. Your pace and the number of stops will determine the length of your visit.
Explore the Gallery with your own guide
Discover the history and meaning behind the murals on our private East Side Gallery walking tour. Your guide connects the art with the stories of the Berlin Wall and the surrounding neighbourhood.
See dates and book a private East Side Gallery tour →
For a public walk about divided Berlin, explore our East Berlin walking tour. For the city’s wider creative scene, see our Berlin street art tour. Check those itineraries and plan your Gallery visit separately.