Haus der Kulturen der Welt Theater

Address: John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10, 10557 Berlin, Germany (Tiergarten, next to the River Spree)

Website: https://www.hkw.de/

Hours: Tue-Sun 12pm-7pm, Thu 12pm-9pm (times vary for events)

Admission: Admission varies by exhibition (typically €6-12); large events may have separate pricing

The Haus der Kulturen der Welt is a Berlin cultural institution devoted to contemporary arts, performance and international research with an emphasis on non-European cultures. It occupies a distinctive curved-roof building on the edge of the Tiergarten.

Programming mixes exhibitions, performance, film, conferences and research projects, often with a global or postcolonial focus. The building regularly stages temporary shows and public events and houses exhibition galleries and an auditorium.

Constructed in the late 1950s as the Kongresshalle, the building was designed by an American architect and later repurposed as a cultural centre. It has been restored and adapted over time and remains an active venue for international cultural exchange.

It sits on the northern edge of the Tiergarten park near the River Spree in central Berlin, within walking distance of government buildings and major museums.

• Distinctive architecture: The building is widely known for its curved concrete roof form, often described in German as the “pregnant oyster,” which makes it an architectural landmark in Berlin.

What to See#

• Main auditorium: A vaulted main hall and auditorium space used for concerts, lectures and film screenings, with flexible seating and stage facilities.
• Exhibition and event spaces: Gallery and exhibition rooms around the building’s ground level used for rotating contemporary exhibitions, research projects and installations.

HKW sits on the southern bank of the River Spree in Tiergarten. From Berlin Hauptbahnhof it is a 15-20 minute walk across the river; public transport: U-Bahn/U2 to Hansaplatz or S-Bahn to Hauptbahnhof, then a short walk.

• Check the HKW website for evening talks and experimental performances - these often reveal the centre's best work.
• Enter through the southern terrace to appreciate the building's modernist iron-and-concrete profile and the 'pregnant oyster' roofline.
• Drop into the library or bookstore for multilingual contemporary cultural theory not always stocked elsewhere.