Kulturbrauerei

The Kulturbrauerei is one of the few industrial architectural monuments in Berlin, situated on a 25,000 m² site dating from the 19th century with over 20 buildings arranged in six courtyards. Originally the Schultheiß brewery (1853-1967), this historic complex was transformed into a multicultural center after the fall of the Berlin Wall and has developed into one of Berlin’s largest alternative cultural institutions.

The sprawling complex consists of six courtyards with 20 buildings made of red and yellow clinker brick. During renovation, care was taken to maintain and preserve the area designed by Franz Heinrich Schwechten, with facades largely retained. If you look closely, the original lettering on the historic facades will tell you what each building was once used for.

Today, the Kulturbrauerei houses diverse cultural institutions including the CineStar cinema with eight screens, multiple clubs and venues, theaters, restaurants, and the Museum in der Kulturbrauerei. The Museum presents “Everyday life in the GDR” with 800 exhibits and 200 documents, films and sound recordings by contemporary witnesses.