The travellers guide to photography in Berlin

Carolin Weinkopf©

Safelight by Max Power©

Fotografiska by Ivan Erofeev©

C/O Berlin by David von Becker©

Berlin has always been good at looking at itself. It’s a city obsessed with images, from the little analogue photo booths tucked into street corners to some of Europe’s finest galleries, housed in former department stores, embassies and even an old artists’ squat. And with a mix of architectural styles to be found in the different neighbourhoods of the city, there can be no better place for taking pictures of your own.

So whether you shoot on a battered film camera or simply want to see extraordinary work by the masters, we’ve gathered our favourite photography spots in the city. Many of them are a short walk or tram ride away from The Circus, and because the big exhibition spaces rotate their shows regularly, there’s always something new to see…

Making your own: Analogue Berlin

Photoautomat

The best souvenir in Berlin costs just €4: a strip of four black-and-white photos, developed on the spot in about five minutes. You’ll find these analogue Photoautomaten all over the city, and even jaded locals still pile into them after a night out with friends.

There’s one just around the corner from The Circus, beside ACUD Macht Neu, a rambling arts centre with a cinema, theatre, exhibitions and regular events, from Monday-night jams to weekend parties. The taco truck out front serves some of the best tacos in the city, plus frozen margaritas and horchata.

Safelight Berlin

For anyone serious about film, Safelight is the place. Part camera shop, part film lab, part gallery and community space, they sell cameras, accessories and their own custom film stocks, and they’ll develop and scan your rolls, with results well worth the occasional wait when the lab is busy.

They also run photo walks, exhibitions and events, so their Instagram is the best place to keep track. Safelight is a short tram ride away, and the perfect excuse to wander Prenzlauer Berg’s cafés, independent shops and the leafy Kollwitzkiez while you’re there.

In more of a hurry for your scans? Fotokotti, just outside Kottbusser Tor and a direct U8 ride from Rosenthaler Platz, is a reliable option for quicker turnarounds.

Schivelbeiner Str. 9, 10439 Berlin, Google maps
Getting there from The Circus (Rosenthaler Platz): Tram M1 to S+U Schönhauser Allee (approx 16 mins)

Seeing the best: Berlin’s photo galleries and exhibition spaces

Fotografiska Berlin

Housed in the historic Tacheles building, once a legendary artists’ squat, Fotografiska is a 10–15 minute walk from The Circus. It usually has several exhibitions running at once, rotating every three months, alongside a bookshop, café and a rooftop bar worth the lift ride alone.

Circus guests get 20% off with the code CIRCUS26. Since you’re already in the neighbourhood, stroll down Auguststraße and Linienstraße, the spine of Berlin’s gallery district, taking in the KW Institute for Contemporary Art along the way.

Oranienburger Str. 54, 10117 Berlin, Google maps
Getting there from The Circus (Rosenthaler Platz): Tram M1 to Oranienburger Tor (approx 10 mins) or walk.

C/O Berlin

C/O Berlin is probably the city’s best-known home for photography, occupying the historic Amerika Haus beside Zoologischer Garten station in the west. It runs two exhibitions at a time across two floors, with guided tours, talks, workshops and film screenings, and opening days are usually free (but be warned, it can get very busy indeed!).

Amerika Haus, Hardenbergstraße 22-24, 10623 Berlin, Google maps
Getting there from The Circus (Rosenthaler Platz): Tram M1 to Hackescher Markt and then S-Bahn to Zoologischer Garten (approx 25 mins)

Museum of Photography

If you are heading to C/O Berlin then you can combine it with the neighbouring Museum of Photography, which offers a discount if you visit both on the same day. This corner of the city is full of post-war West Berlin style, including the Bikini House complex and the nearby Zoo Palast cinema, a striking symbol of the reconstruction following the devastation of World War II.

Jebensstraße 2, 10623 Berlin-Bezirk Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Google maps
Getting there from The Circus (Rosenthaler Platz): Tram M1 to Hackescher Markt and then S-Bahn to Zoologischer Garten (approx 25 mins)

Willy-Brandt-Haus

The Willy-Brandt-Haus hosts free photography and contemporary art exhibitions in a striking modern building in Kreuzberg. One thing to remember, it doubles as the headquarters of the SPD, Germany’s Social Democratic Party, so bring your passport or ID to get in.

Wilhelmstraße 140, 10963 Berlin-Bezirk Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Google maps
Getting there from The Circus (Rosenthaler Platz): U8 to Kottbusser Tor and then the U3 to Hallesches Tor (approx 30 mins)

European Month of Photography

Every two years Berlin plays host to the European Month of Photography, bringing together artists, curators, galleries, institutions, project spaces, publishers, collectors and people like us to the city. The next edition will take place from 4 March 2027 to 4 April 2027 under the guiding theme of ‘Common Ground, Letters from Europe’.

At the time of writing, the progamme is yet to be announced but you can sign up for the festival newsletter on the website.

Travel tips and information for your visit to Berlin

If you want even more tips and ideas for your visit to Berlin, check out the rest of our Experience Berlin blog or follow us on Instagram.

We also have special deals for those who book their trip to Berlin early or want to stay longer. Check out our special offers page for more details.

Photography in Berlin

Life through a lens