310 Million Tits!

By Kelly Hayes-Raitt | August 31st, 2010 |

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Author’s Note: This post’s title (taken from former US Sen. Alan Simpson’s pejorative quote about Social Security made earlier this week) has nothing to do with this blog, but when I first read the headline, I thought it was “310 million HITS” and I thought, “YE—AHH! I want 310 million hits!“ So, I’m shamelessly, uh, milking an out-of-touch Senator’s foolishness for my own benefit.

Speaking of milking, I took full advantage of my Berlin Museum Pass. Cost: € 19 for all the museums I could squeeze into 3 consecutive days. I hit:

• Museum Scharf-Gerstenberg, (www.smb.museum) with its extensive Surrealist collection, € 6.

• Museum Berggruen, (www.smb.museum) € 6 to peruse its early Picasso and Matisse collection, or free when combined with a visit to its sister museum, above.

• Alte Nationalgalerie, (www.smb.museum)a gorgeous building tucked on Museum Isle, € 8.

• Neue Nationalgalerie, (www.smb.museum)a most impressive collection of turn-of-the-last century and post-war art, € 8

• Brücke-Museum (www.bruecke-museum.de) devoted to the “Bridge” artists, € 4.

Had I paid separate entrance fees, I would have spent € 26. More important than saving me € 7 (about $9), the Pass encouraged me to visit museums I would have likely passed on – avoiding a true tragedy!

Most museums are closed Mondays, so plan accordingly. Many offer audio tours, which are free to Museum Pass holders and are quite well produced. Most of the museums I visited allow non-flash photography of the art and offer free coat check. Although all the lit says the Museum Pass is available only in Berlin Infostores or through (www.visitBerlin.de), I bought mine at my hotel.

Tip: Pick up a free guide titled “Museums and Palaces.” It lists all the major museums with descriptions in English, open days and hours and nearest Underground stops.

May Social Security outlive Alan Simpson’s political career!
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