Second World War school trips to Berlin

Opened in 2001, this huge museum spreads across two buildings and displays exhibits that document more than two millennia of German-Jewish history. During your visit, students can view the museum’s vast collections, enter the library and develop their understanding in the museum’s Rafael Roth Learning Centre.

Head north by coach from Berlin for about 45 minutes, and you’ll stumble across Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum – one of our must-sees for history students learning about Nazi Germany. Historically one of the largest concentration camps in the country, Sachsenhausen is now a memorial and museum to remember and educate others about the Holocaust. A truly humbling experience.

Located close to Checkpoint Charlie, on the former site of the headquarters of the Gestapo, Topography of Terror is an outdoor history museum that documents the crimes and persecution committed by the Third Reich between 1933 and 1945. With numerous documents, photographs and other material evidence of the terror and crimes that occurred here, we’ve seen school groups stunned by the museum’s permanent exhibition.

Located close to Brandenburg Gate, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is a moving tribute to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. In total, there are 2,711 concrete slabs of varying heights dotted around 19,000 square metres, with paths to allow your students to slowly make their way through and remember the Jews who were persecuted in Europe.

One of the most frequently visited sights in Berlin, the Reichstag is the current home of the German parliament and a global symbol of democracy. An excellent excursion for students to learn about German politics both present and past, the Reichstag also houses a walkway inside its glass dome, which spirals to the top of the Reichstag and boasts spectacular panoramic views of Berlin.

Revisit Germany’s darkest times at the Wannsee Conference Centre, where the Nazis met in 1942 to discuss the Holocaust and plan the genocide of Jewish people across Europe. Here, your students can wander the exhibition and learn about this criminal meeting through the use of original documents and audiovisual presentations, which demonstrate how anti-semitism and racism grew in Germany from the 1920s until the events of the Second World War.

We can’t wait to show you Berlin from the top of the city’s TV Tower, which soars 368 metres above ground level to show you unparalleled views of Germany’s capital. Built during the DDR era, the TV Tower is also an excellent place to teach students about the reunification of the city after the fall of the Berlin Wall – the tower undergoing a significant symbolic transformation to reflect this change.

Fly through Berlin on a journey that spans nine centuries with the Odyssey VR experience. Taking place in the Berlin TV Tower, this interactive virtual reality headset will show your students how the city has changed from a small settlement to the city that it is today.

One of Berlin’s most iconic sites, the Brandenburg Gate is a neoclassical monument built during the 18th century which holds a wealth of history as a site for major historical events. Now considered as a symbol of unity and peace, the gate is an essential stop on any tour of Berlin – offering an excellent opportunity for students to contemplate the country’s tumultuous history within Europe.

Students can learn all about the military commitments of the Western Allies in Germany at this museum, which documents Berlin’s political history from the Second World War until the fall of the USSR. Here, groups can view a British Airlift plane, contemplate moving photographs from the Soviet period in Germany, and visit a guardhouse from Checkpoint Charlie. An excellent learning opportunity for students about Germany in the Cold War era.

An excursion that we guarantee will excite and captivate your students. At the German Spy Museum, your group will learn about the history and secrets of espionage as they view hundreds of tools of the trade, and take part in several interactive exhibits. We know they’ll love recreating favourite movie scenes in the laser labyrinth and, who knows – maybe you will too.

A major cultural and shopping street in Berlin, Friedrichstrasse offers an excellent opportunity for students to discover local goods, practice their language skills with shop owners and do some souvenir shopping. We can’t wait to show it to you!

Kaufhaus des Westens (Department Store of the West), or KaDeWe, is an excellent option for some retail therapy during your school trip to Berlin, featuring eight floors of merchandise to appeal to every shopping need. The second largest department store in Europe, the retail giant attracts 40,000 to 50,000 visitors daily, and is easily found on the famous shopping street of Tauentzienstraße.

Treat your group to a couple of hours on Berlin’s most famous and elegant shopping boulevard, where students can search for souvenirs, explore fashion trends and people-watch in cafes. Marked by KaDeWe department store on its eastern end, and luxury boutiques throughout, the street comprises almost five kilometres of retail paradise – the perfect winding-down activity for students after a day of learning.