"But first - Let me take a selfie": The Best Made-For-Instagram Exhibitions in Germany

An Instagram trend is revolutionizing art history this year: In German museums, over 19.5 million German Instagram users are now at the center of attention, rather than paintings and sculptures!

Following a massive hype in the USA, the first official selfie temple in Germany, "Supercandy," opened its doors in September 2018 - and many more are set to follow. Currently, over 100,000 Instagram posts are tagged with the names of the most popular German Instagram museums.

To find out in which modern cultural institutions users can expect the most likes, Travelcircus has taken a closer look at the museum landscape and crowned the top 11 best Made-For-Instagram exhibitions in Germany.

In Cologne, you can currently find the most successful exhibition in Europe.
For the perfect selfie, visitors pay up to $29.00.
Instagram users can visit one exhibition for free.
The most popular subject among the photo sets is undoubtedly the ball pit.
Recently, optical illusions have also beautified many Instagram profiles.
In Berlin, Instagrammers can pose with Yoda, E.T., and Marilyn Monroe.

The most important points in brief:

Rank 1: Supercandy Pop-Up Museum (Cologne)

The most successful Instagram temple in Europe

With over 60,000 visitors, Supercandy is not only the most successful Made-For-Instagram exhibition in Germany but also in all of Europe. Covering approximately 2,000 m², there are a total of 30 photo settings that fill Instagram feeds with creativity and color - including a yellow ball pit, a laundromat, and a pink vault.

With so many photo opportunities, it's no surprise that the Cologne museum can be found 22,952 times on Instagram under the hashtag #supercandymuseum. What makes Supercandy particularly special is the pop-up concept: The Instagram temple is only open at one location for a few months, currently for the second time in Cologne-Ehrenfeld.

Admission price: $29.00 adults, $19.00 children (up to 14 years old)
Address: Oskar-Jäger-Str. 145, Cologne
Opening hours: Mon, Tue, Fri: 12 PM to 8:30 PM; Sat: 10 AM to 10 PM, Sun: 10 AM to 7 PM

Rank 2: Cali Dreams (Düsseldorf)

Californication in Düsseldorf

If you dream of the perfect Instagram post, the Cali Dreams Museum in Düsseldorf is just the place: Since October 25, 2019, 25 themed rooms await exciting photo sessions in a 1,500 m² area filled with unicorns, Cadillacs, and rubber ducks.

The Cali Dreams Museum thrives on imagination and attention to detail, transporting visitors to a California-inspired dream world. Currently, there are 18,196 linked posts under the hashtag #calidreams on Instagram - and the trend is rising.

Admission price: $24.90 adults, $19.90 children (up to 12 years old)
Address: Erkrather Str. 343, Düsseldorf
Opening hours: Wed, Thu: 12 PM to 9 PM; Fri to Sun: 10 AM to 9 PM

Rank 3: Ozeaneum (Stralsund)

Dive into the depths of the oceans with a camera

Since 2008, the Ozeaneum has complemented the panorama of Stralsund and attracts more than 500,000 visitors each year. With 50 aquariums, guests embark on a journey through the northern seas: showcasing a sand tiger shark, rays, and yellow stripes from the Baltic Sea to the North Sea to the Scandinavian archipelago.

With its diverse flora and fauna, the Ozeaneum Stralsund currently has 14,900 posts on Instagram under the hashtag #ozeaneum. A room featuring life-sized replicas of blue whales, humpback whales, and sperm whales floating from the ceiling is particularly popular as a photo opportunity.

Admission price: $17.00 adults, $12.00 children (up to 16 years old)
Address: Hafenstr. 11, Stralsund
Opening hours: Oct to May: 9:30 AM to 6 PM; June to Sept: 9:30 AM to 8 PM

Rank 4: Spy Museum (Berlin)

Become a spy

In the heart of Berlin, precisely at Leipziger Platz, visitors dive interactively and multimedia-ally into the history of espionage at Germany's first and only espionage museum. Hundreds of exhibits are spread over approximately 3,000 m² - from CIA cameras to Enigma machines to props from James Bond films.

Museum guests can closely examine the espionage devices, try them out, and pose for the ideal Instagram snapshot. A highlight for Instagram users and influencers: the laser course. Therefore, there are currently 14,496 posts on Instagram tagged with the hashtag #spionagemuseum.

Admission price: $12.00 adults; $8.00 reduced (students, apprentices)
Address: Leipziger Platz 9, Berlin
Opening hours: daily from 10 AM to 8 PM

Rank 5: Madame Tussauds (Berlin)

Photo alerts between Yoda and E.T.

If you've always wanted to get close to your favorite celebrities, a visit to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Berlin is a must. Whether models, actors, athletes, musicians, or historical figures - every visitor is guaranteed to find a theme area that will embellish their Instagram feed.

Currently, there are 11,805 photos on Instagram under the hashtag #madametussaudsberlin. Among the most popular photo spots are the Star Wars area with Yoda, R2D2, and company, the House of #berlincolours, and the Celebrity Party with George Clooney and Johnny Depp.

Admission price: $25.00 adults; $20.50 children (up to 14 years old)
Address: Unter den Linden 74, Berlin
Opening hours: Mon to Thu: 10 AM to 6 PM; Fri to Sun: 10 AM to 7 PM

Rank 6: Phaeno (Wolfsburg)

Photos with altered perspectives

At the phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg, visitors can not only unleash their curiosity but also share their discoveries on Instagram. Not without reason, there are already 6,792 posts under the hashtag #phaeno.

The versatile experimental stations are a feast for the senses and teach guests of the Science Center to change their perspective frequently - benefiting both curiosity and photographic art.

By the way: Amazing photo motifs can be found not only inside the phaeno but also from the outside. Designed by Zaha Hadid, the building resembles a flowing landscape.

Admission price: $14.00 adults; $9.00 children (up to 17 years old)
Address: Willy-Brandt-Platz 1, Wolfsburg
Opening hours: Tue to Fri: 9 AM to 5 PM; Sat & Sun: 10 AM to 6 PM

Rank 7: Museum of Illusions (Hamburg, Berlin)

Illusions in front of the lens

Upside down, floating, or tiny - nothing is as it seems at the Museum of Illusions. Of course, these quirky and funny rooms have to be shared with friends and family: Currently, there are 6,155 tagged photos under the hashtag #museumderillusionen on Instagram.

Those who also want to be captivated by the illusions now have the opportunity in both Berlin and Hamburg. But the museum does not just deceive the visitors' senses; it simultaneously provides the chance to get to the bottom of the sensory deceptions by examining closely.

Admission price: $12.00 adults; $8.00 children (up to 17 years old)
Address: Lilienstraße 14-16, Hamburg or Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 9, Berlin
Opening hours: Mon to Sun: 10 AM to 8 PM

Rank 8: Phänomenta (Lüdenscheid, Peenemünde, Bremerhaven, Flensburg)

Physics for Everyone

Physics is much more than numbers and formulas - that is what Phänomenta proves! Physical phenomena and optical illusions are easily explained here. The experiments can be conducted by oneself and thus provide a particularly photogenic atmosphere.

The concept is so successful that Phänomenta is now available in four cities: Peenemünde, Lüdenscheid, Bremerhaven, and Flensburg. Currently, there are 2,086 linked images on Instagram under the hashtag #phänomenta.

Admission price: varies by city; adults from $7; children (up to 16 years old) from $3.50
Address: Phänomenta-Weg 1, Lüdenscheid or Museumstraße 12, Peenemünde or Hoebelstraße 24, Bremerhaven or Norderstraße 157-163, Flensburg
Opening hours: varies by location

Rank 9: The Crazy House (Gettorf, Bispingen, Leuna)

Weightless in the Dream House

The Crazy House has everything a dream house needs: colorful children's rooms, spacious kitchen, bathroom, cozy living and sleeping area. The catch: Everything is upside down! When photographs are turned 180 degrees, it creates the impression that visitors are defying gravity. What could be more suitable for creating the perfect Instagram feed?

Currently, #dasverrücktehaus has 1,413 linked posts on Instagram. It's no surprise that this quirky building already exists three times across Germany: in Bispingen, Leipzig/Leuna, and Kiel/Gettorf.

Admission price: varies by city; adults from $4; children (up to 14 years old) from $3.00
Address: Süderstraße 33, Gettorf or Horstfeldweg 1, Bispingen or Am Einkaufszentrum, Leuna
Opening hours: varies by location

Rank 10: Wonderland (Wolfsburg)

The first Instagram museum in a mall

The Wonderland is a true newcomer among Made-For-Instagram exhibitions: It opened on February 6, 2020, featuring colorful and photogenic rooms in the City Galerie Wolfsburg as a placeholder for an empty store.

Between a pink ball pit, a luxurious bathtub, and a candy room, Instagram users will surely feel like they are in paradise; not without reason is there already over 100 photos under the hashtag #wonderlandwob. The best part: Entrance to Wonderland is completely free. Visitors can perfectly unwind after a shopping tour.

Admission price: $0.00
Address: Porschestraße 45, Wolfsburg
Opening hours: Mon to Sat, 9:30 AM to 8 PM

Rank 11: Bee Yourself (Michelstadt)

New & Exclusive

To be one of the first to visit a Made-For-Instagram exhibition and take exclusive photos - what Instagram user wouldn't dream of that? In Michelstadt, photo lovers now have the best opportunity: On February 15, the Bee Yourself Pop-Up Museum "Odenwald World" opens its doors.

How exactly the Instagram museum will be designed is still unknown. However, the theme will revolve around the Odenwald. On 1,125 m², visitors have the opportunity to swing, bounce, and take unique photos under the hashtag #beeodw.

Admission price: $22.00 adults; $15.00 students, seniors
Address: Am Festplatz 1, Michelstadt
Opening hours: Tue to Fri: 12 PM to 10 PM; Sat & Sun: 10 AM to 10 PM