– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Can you believe that this lady is over 3,300 years old?

She is the undisputed star of Berlin's Museum Island,

which is home to five world-class museums.

In 2025, this unique ensemble of buildings

will celebrate its 200th anniversary.

Today I'm taking you on a tour of all the must see highlights of

Berlin's Museum Island.

I'll have some insider tips for your own visit, and I'll reveal the secret

behind who this ancient icon really is.

So stick around.

But how do you get to Berlin's Museum Island?

It's located in the heart of the German capital

and it's pretty easy to reach.

I get off at the S-Bahn at Hackescher Markt

because the walk from here to Museum Island

is an experience in itself.

From the James-Simon-Park,

you have the first great view of Museum Island.

Spoiler alert, we'll come across that name again later.

Museum Island is home to five museums

that cover thousands of years of human history.

And it's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.

If you're looking to get your bearings, I recommend you come and

find this model where you can see the entire Museum Island.

Check this out:

This is the Altes Museum,

this is the Neues Museum.

Behind it you have the Alte Nationalgalerie,

the Pergamon Museum,

and down here the Bode Museum.

It's a lot to take in, I know.

My tour starts in the Lustgarten.

Here you'll find the Humboldt Forum,

the Berlin Cathedral

and the Altes Museum.

Some of Berlin's most important historical buildings,

all in one spot.

The Altes Museum is the oldest museum on Museum Island.

Construction started in 1825.

It's one of the most important neoclassical buildings of Germany.

Inside you'll find lots of works from Greek and Roman antiquity.

Admission is 12 euros.

But I recommend you get the Museum Island Pass for €20,40.

It pays off after just two museums

and you can always decide to explore some more.

And now to the James Simon Gallery.

I'm sure you remember that name.

James Simon was an important patron of the arts.

He donated more than 10,000 objects to Berlin museums.

The James Simon Gallery is the visitor center.

In addition to the museum store, café and restaurant,

there are also rooms for special exhibitions.

By the way, some 2.5 million people visit these museums every year.

So it's a good idea to get your tickets online in advance

and skip the long lines.

The Kolonnadenhof is a small oasis in the middle of the city.

It's so beautiful that people often come here to take

their wedding photos.

That building behind me is the Alte Nationalgalerie.

It's easily recognizable by the big equestrian statue

of Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV.

And on the inside you'll find stunning paintings and sculptures of

the 19th century.

This right there is the Neues Museum, which traces the story of

early Eurasian cultures.

It's where I'm headed next.

But first, a quick look at the two remaining museums on the island.

The Bode Museum is located at the top of Museum Island and houses the

sculpture collection and the Museum of Byzantine Art.

The entryway is already impressive, a beautiful large domed hall.

Directly behind it is the Pergamon Museum.

However, it's currently closed for a major refurbishment

and is set to reopen in 2027.

When it does, some of Museum Island's highlights will once again be on

display to the public, including the impressive Pergamon Altar.

But now let's check out the Neues Museum.

A ticket costs 14.00 euros and it's worth every cent.

For years the building stood in disrepair until it was revamped by

star architect David Chipperfield and reopened in 2009.

It exhibits works from ancient Egypt, among other things.

This brings us to the star of Museum Island.

No one knows her better than Friederike Seyfried,

director of the Egyptian Museum.

And Friederike wants to show me another one of her favorites.

At the end of our short tour, Friederike shows me

another remarkable sculpture.

A sphinx in the shape of a ram.

From the individual pieces to the buildings themselves, you're spoiled

for choice on Museum Island.

Seeing Nefertiti up close was really amazing,

but what I also learned coming here

is that there are countless small and big treasures

just waiting to be discovered on this island.

Definitely worth a visit if you get the chance.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
museum /mjuːˈziːəm/ B1	noun - a building where objects of historical, scientific, or artistic interest are kept
island /ˈaɪlənd/ A2	noun - a piece of land surrounded by water
berlin /bɜːrˈlɪn/ B1	noun - a city in Germany
visit /ˈvɪzɪt/ A2	verb - to go to a place for a short time noun - a short stay in a place
tour /tʊr/ A2	noun - a journey made for pleasure during which several places are visited verb - to visit places of interest
see /siː/ A1	verb - to notice or become aware of something using the eyes verb - to meet or visit someone
building /ˈbɪldɪŋ/ A1	noun - a structure with walls and a roof
old /oʊld/ A1	adjective - having lived for a long time; no longer young adjective - not new; made some time ago
ancient /ˈeɪnʃənt/ B1	adjective - belonging to a time very long ago
find /faɪnd/ A1	verb - to discover something unexpectedly verb - to consider or believe someone or something
come /kʌm/ A1	verb - to move towards or arrive at a place
take /teɪk/ A1	verb - to remove something from a place or person verb - to make a photo or picture
get /ɡɛt/ A1	verb - to receive or obtain something verb - to arrive somewhere
year /jɪr/ A1	noun - the period of time that the Earth takes to go around the sun
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where you live noun - where a person or animal lives
model /ˈmɑːdl/ B1	noun - a small representation of something
exhibit /ɪɡˈzɪbɪt/ B2	verb - to show something publicly noun - an object or a group of objects shown in a museum
worth /wɜːrθ/ B1	adjective - having a value in money