Berlin Gallery Weekend 2025 Guide
Last Updated on May 2, 2025
Art enthusiasts, get ready! Berlin, a vibrant hub for contemporary art, is gearing up for its annual Gallery Weekend, and the 2025 edition promises to be as exciting and inspiring as ever. From Friday, May 2nd-Sunday, the city’s diverse array of galleries will open their doors, showcasing the latest works from established and emerging artists across various disciplines.
Berlin Gallery Weekend is more than just a series of openings; it’s a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the city’s dynamic art scene. For three days, you can wander through the streets, discovering hidden gems and renowned art spaces alike. Expect to encounter thought-provoking paintings, cutting-edge sculptures, innovative video installations, captivating photography, and much more.
Berlin Gallery Weekend also happens to be one of my favorite weekends in the city! This year you can find it May 2nd & 3rd (18-21) 3 May and May 4th (11-18).
(Thank heavens it doesn’t actually overlap with May 1st festivities this year, as it normally does.)
There are 55 participating galleries and, like every year, that means my biggest challenge lies in narrowing down what I want to see! I always start off strong on the first few nights, but I never get through my whole list. Knowing myself, that will probably be the case this year as well (and it’s okay!).
The most important asset you can have when it comes to gallery weekend is a plan. This Berlin Gallery Weekend Guide will help you have the best weekend.
Gallery Weekend Berlin At A Glance
When: May 2nd 18-21:00, May 3rd 11-19:00, May 4th 11-18:00
History: Berlin Gallery Weekend was originally founded in 2005 by a cooperative of Berlin galleries.
Who’s Participating: 55 galleries and exhibitions
Where It’s Happening: You can find the official Gallery Weekend Berlin site here (with a gallery map here).
Your Strategy: My advice is to map out a few galleries in one neighborhood. Berlin is a big city geographically and it takes time to move around. So it’s much more efficient to go neighborhood by neighborhood. Or pick out a few top priorities from this list and take it from there.
Berlin Gallery Weekend Guide 2025
Anne Imhof – Cold Hope
Anne Imhof’s fourth solo exhibition at Galerie Buchholz, Cold Hope, coinciding with Gallery Weekend Berlin, features new large-format paintings. These works, derived from coming-of-age film stills through layered translation, serve as the painterly counterpart to her recent epic performance Doom – House of Hope.
When: Opening May 2nd 18-21:00 | Exhibition until June 21, 2025
Where: Galerie Buchholz – Fasanenstraße 30 10719 Charlottenburg | Map
Nadya Tolokonnikova – Wanted
Artist, activist, and co-founder of Pussy Riot, Nadya Tolokonnikova (Nadya Riot) opens her first exhibition for Nagel Draxler. WANTED, delves into the powerful intersection of art, defiance, and survival. The exhibition centers around a reconstruction of her former prison cell, previously featured at OK Linz museum. Within the bars, she places original letters, legal documents, press reports, and photographs that bear witness to the brutal conditions and psychological strain she endured.
When: Opening Friday May 2nd 18-21:00 | Exhibition until June 6th, 2025
Where: Galerie Nagel Draxler, Weydingerstraße 2/4, 10178 Mitte | Map
Tobias Spichtig – Taxi Zur Kunst
Contemporary Fine Arts presents their third solo exhibition of Swiss artist Tobias Spichtig. Taxi zur Kunst was originally conceived as something of a joke. For years, CFA has occupied the back cover of Texte zur Kunst magazine, and Spichtig had envisioned advertising the title “Taxi zur Kunst” there. This serendipitous connection highlights the exhibition’s core idea: a taxi, imbued with nostalgia, as a vehicle to art events – openings, readings, theatres, and concerts.
When: Opening: Friday May 2nd 18-21:00 | Exhibition until May 31st, 2025
Where: Contemporary Fine Arts, Grolmanstraße 32-33, 10623 Charlottenburg | Map
Zuzanna Czebatul – All the Charm of a Rotting Gum
For her first solo exhibition at DITTRICH & SCHLECHTRIEM during Gallery Weekend Berlin, Zuzanna Czebatul presents All the Charm of a Rotting Gum, a work that embodies her study of power, ideology, and their cultural expressions. By conceptually reinterpreting the currently inaccessible Pergamon Altar, Czebatul creates a temporary space to reflect on cultural heritage, political appropriation, and Germany’s complex history, further explored through a dialogue with a monumental relief blending riot gear and Christian sacred geometry to examine state power.
When: Friday May, 2nd 18-21:00 | Exhibition until June 21st 2025
Where: DITTRICH & SCHLECHTRIEM Linienstraße 23, 10178 Mitte | Map
Monica Bonvicini – It is Night Outside
Monica Bonvicini’s solo exhibition “It is Night Outside” will present new sculptures, glass works, works on paper, and a site-specific video installation across the gallery’s three floors, inviting exploration of space and identity formation.
When: Opening: May 2nd, 18-21 | Exhibition until June 7, 2025
Where: Captain Petzel, Karl-Marx-Allee 45, 10178 Friedrichshain | Map
Cyprien Gaillard – Retinal Rivalry
For Gallery Weekend 2025, Sprüth Magers Berlin presents the two solo exhibitions: “Cyprien Gaillard: Retinal Rivalry” and “Michail Pirgelis: Seven Springs”.
A decade after the premiere of Nightlife in 2015, Sprüth Magers presents the German debut of Gaillard’s major new film installation. Cyprien Gaillard’s new stereoscopic film, “Retinal Rivalry” takes us on an entrancing journey through Germany’s urban landscape and its layers of historical and social significance.
Opening: May 2nd, 18-21 | Exhibition until July 26, 2025
Where: Sprüth Magers, Oranienburger Str. 18, 10178 Mitte | Map
Olafur Eliasson – The lure of looking through a polarised window of opportunities, or seeing a surprise before it’s reduced, split, and then further reduced
Thirty years ago, in 1995, Olafur Eliasson opened his first solo show at neugerriemschneider in Berlin. “The lure of looking through a polarised window of opportunities, or seeing a surprise before it’s reduced, split, and then further reduced” (*whew!*) marks his ninth solo exhibition at the gallery. This exhibition continues his exploration of the relativity of perception through a new body of work engaging with the physical properties of light. Featuring installations and complex geometric sculptures, the exhibition uses polarization—optical filters that manipulate light waves to create unexpected visual effects.
When: Opening: May 2nd 18-21 | Exhibition until Aug 9th, 2025
Where: neugerriemschneider, Christinenstraße 18-19/Haus 9, 10119 Mitte | Map
Group Show ft. Ai Weiwei – advective motion, nebulous currents
The group exhibition “advective motion, nebulous currents” focuses on works that distort, stretch, pixelate, blur, or vanish their motifs into mist. With works by Ai Weiwei, Thomas Bayrle, Andreas Eriksson, Mario García Torres, Isa Genzken, Shilpa Gupta, Louise Lawler, Sharon Lockhart, Tobias Rehberger, Tomás Saraceno, Simon Starling, Pae White
Opening: Friday, May 2nd, 18-21 | Exhibition until Aug 16th, 2025
Where: neugerriemschneider, Linienstraße 155, 10115 Mitte | Map
Tom of Finland at Pace
Marking the opening of the new Pace Gallery in Berlin, Die Tankstelle, Galerie Judin will present 25 masterpieces by Tom of Finland. om of Finland’s iconic drawings have indelibly shaped our cultural and visual landscape, establishing him as a highly influential 20th-century artist and a key figure in the gay movement, fashion, fetish culture, art history, and pop culture. His enduring legacy continues to inspire figures from David Hockney to Jean Paul Gaultier. Coinciding with Gallery Weekend Berlin, “Tom of Finland” inaugurates Die Tankstelle, a new collaborative art space from Galerie Judin and Pace, which will also feature galleries, offices, and a cafe/bookshop, while Pace Gallery concurrently presents an exhibition of works by Jean Dubuffet, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Robert Nava.
When: Opening: Friday, May 2nd :00 | Exhibition May 2-June 14, 2025
Where: Pace/Galerie Judin, Die Tankstelle, Bülowstraße 18, 10783 Schöneberg | Map
Wim Wenders – Nearby and Far Away. Photography
For Gallery Weekend Berlin, Gallery Bastian presents “Nearby and Far Away. Photography”, a solo exhibition of new photographs by the acclaimed photographer and film director Wim Wenders.
When: Opening Friday May 2nd, 18-21:00 | Exhibition until July 26th, 2025
Where: Galerie Bastian, Taylorstraße 1, 14195 Dahlem | Map
Berlin Gallery Weekend Extra Picks
Lunch at Chipperfield Kantine
Dreaming of a healthy pick me up during your gallery adventure in Mitte? Check out the Gallery Weekend special at Chipperfield Kantine featuring a seasonal, spring-inspired lunch under the trees (think: asparagus, spinach dumplings and more).
When: May 2 & 3rd, 2025, 12-16:00 Reservations required
Where: Joachimstraße 11, 10119 Mitte | Map
Ruinart Champagine & Art Bar
Every year, the world’s oldest champagne house, Ruinart, offers a pop-up bar during Gallery Weekend, with a featured artist. This year, they’re featuring Berlin-based French artist Julian Charrière, showcasing his works as part of the 2025 cycle of Conversations with Nature.
Think a combination of art gallery, champagne tastings, food pairings, boutique, and bar. It’s free admission, but you can book a tasting for €40 or purchase wine and food à la carte.
When: May 1st-4th, 2025, 13-21:00 Daily
Where: PalaisPopulaire, Unter den Linden 5, 10117 Mitte | Map
Art in the Windows at KaDeWe
For the first time ever, luxury destination KaDeWe opens its windows to the world of art, becoming an exhibition space as part of the official program of Gallery Weekend Berlin 2025. Curated by Sebastian Hoffmann, the windows feature ten different artists.
When: April 22-May 10, 2025 (Ready for viewing anytime!)
Where: KaDeWe, Tauentzienstraße 21-24, 10789 Schöneberg | Map
Tips for Making the Most of Your Gallery Weekend
- Check Opening Hours: While most galleries participate throughout the weekend, their specific opening hours might vary. It’s always a good idea to double-check the times on the Gallery Weekend website or the individual gallery’s page.
- Wear Comfortable Shoes: You’ll likely be doing a lot of walking as you navigate between galleries in different parts of the city. Comfortable footwear is essential!
- Use Public Transportation: Berlin has an excellent public transport system (U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams, and buses), which is the most efficient way to get around during the busy Gallery Weekend. Consider purchasing a day ticket.
- Engage and Ask Questions: Don’t hesitate to talk to the gallery staff. They can provide valuable information about the artists and the artworks on display.
- Take Breaks: Remember to factor in some time for coffee or a bite to eat. Berlin has countless cafes and restaurants near the gallery districts.
Berlin Gallery Weekend | Final Thoughts
Berlin Gallery Weekend 2025 is set to be an unmissable event for anyone interested in contemporary art. It’s a fantastic opportunity to experience the city’s creative energy, discover new artistic talents, and connect with the vibrant art community. Start planning your visit now, and get ready for an inspiring weekend in Berlin!
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