FREIRAUM KUNST: Akademie der Künste Goes Bellevue

This is one of June’s more unusual art stops. Bellevue Palace (Schloss Bellevue) is the official residence of the German Federal President, a neoclassical building on the Spree in Tiergarten that is almost never open to the public. Before the palace enters a long renovation period, the Akademie der Künste is using it as a temporary venue for a contemporary art program, turning the formal state rooms and grounds into exhibition space.

The combination of building and content is the draw. The Akademie der Künste has a strong track record of commissioning and exhibiting serious contemporary work, and seeing that work placed inside one of Berlin’s most formal political buildings creates a tension that most art venues can’t offer. Even if you visit primarily for the architecture and the access, the setting makes it worth going.

Entry requires a free time-slot ticket, which you need to book in advance through the Akademie der Künste website. Slots fill quickly, particularly on weekends: book as soon as the booking opens if you want a specific date and time.

The palace is in Tiergarten, accessible by S-Bahn to Bellevue station and then a short walk. Pairing the visit with a walk through the Tiergarten park or along the Spree makes for an easy afternoon.