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BBS - Berlin Guides Association

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BBS - Berlin Guides Association

We are Berlin's official tour guides association comprised of expert guides working in and around Berlin.

We use our network to establish partnerships with reputable museums and institutions and to further educate each other to become even better guides We are a Berlin guide association for experienced guides. We use our network to educate each other further to become even better guides.

28/04/2026

Heather Mae Ellis, president of the Berlin Guide Association (BBS), was out early this morning at Otto-Lilienthal-Park, catching the cherry blossoms before the crowds moved in. At that hour, the park feels almost like a different city.

If you’re in Berlin during the blossom season, these spots are worth knowing: – Bösebrücke and the cherry blossom avenue along Bornholmer Straße
– TV-Asahi-Kirschblütenallee in Teltow, along the former border strip
– Gardens of the World in Marzahn
– Mauerpark and Volkspark Prenzlauer Berg
– Lohmühlenpark in Kreuzberg
– Otto-Lilienthal-Park, if you time it right

It’s less about finding the place, more about catching the right moment.

The Berlin Guide Association (BBS) is a network of over 130 professional guides. We regularly organize excursions, training, and activities like this for our members. If you’re a guide in Berlin and not yet part of the association, you’re welcome to apply.

05/02/2026

Arm aber Sexy. Old phrase. Still relevant.
January 2026 was the coldest Berlin has seen since 2010.

Berlin ranks lowest in wealth per resident among Germany’s six largest cities.
And sometimes, winter makes that visible.
Snow here does not look like a postcard.
It looks like Berlin.

Challenging conditions, yes. As professional guides, we kept going. Because the city is not only experienced on perfect days.
Not pretty. Very Berlin.

We are the Berlin Guides Association, with more than 130 professional members.
If you are a professional guide and not yet part of it, get in touch. Link in bio.

20/12/2025

On Monday, we went back to the Bundesrat for our second excursion.
We talked about the history of the building, how the Bundesrat works, and why it matters. In short: this is where the 16 German federal states are represented and where many national laws are discussed and approved. We also had the chance to walk through the building on a guided tour.
Visits like this are just one example of the free activities we organize at the Berlin Guides Association: access to places you don’t usually see, learning beyond the classic tour routes, and staying curious about the city we work in.
A big thank you to the Bundesrat team for the warm hospitality, friendly atmosphere, and professional guidance throughout the visit.
If you’re a guide in Berlin and not yet a member, you can apply via our website
https://www.berlinguidesassociation.com/join-us

10/11/2025

BBS Visit to Eisenhüttenstad

A few weeks ago we spent the day in Eisenhüttenstadt, a place that still feels like a living archive. Built as the first planned socialist city in the DDR, Eisenhüttenstadt was designed as a model of urban order, social structure and architectural clarity. Today the city remains remarkably intact. Entire neighborhoods stand almost untouched, beautiful in their symmetry and light, yet marked by a sense of absence. Population numbers continue to decline and the result is a city that feels like an open air museum to another time.

Our visit began with a guided city tour by the local team at the Tourist Information. Walking the streets with someone who lives and breathes this history changes everything. If you were to explore the city alone, you would miss large parts of what shaped it and the stories that hold it together. For our members these experiences were fully included as part of the visit.

We continued to the Museum Utopia, which preserves the everyday objects, ideals and contradictions of the socialist city. It is a compact museum, but with an impressive ability to bring the past into clear focus.

In the evening we visited Aktivist, a restaurant designed in full DDR style, from the furniture to the atmosphere. The food was very much in line with the period, but with one unexpected detail: a small service robot helping to deliver the plates. A charming moment that made the contrast between past and present even sharper.

Thank you to the Tourist Information Eisenhüttenstadt, the Museum Utopia and Restaurant Aktivist for the hospitality and excellent hosting throughout the day. This was a thoughtful, complex and very rewarding visit for our members. These days and activities are all covered by the association for our members. If you're a tour guide and still not a member, feel free to get in touch

23/09/2025

A bloody dispute over Currywurst 🌭🍛

Berlin or Duisburg? Germany’s most famous sausage is at the center of a heated debate.

📍 On September 23, 2025, Duisburg unveiled a new plaque claiming that local butcher Peter Hildebrand — known as “Peter Pomm” — had already served sausages with tomato sauce and curry powder back in 1936.

Researchers even point to an invoice for curry powder dated before 1940, suggesting the spice was used in the Ruhr area years earlier.

Berlin, however, still has strong evidence on its side: Herta Heuwer’s 1949 recipe, the registered “Chillup” trademark from 1959, and a commemorative plaque in Charlottenburg.

Now, two cities officially claim to be the birthplace of Currywurst.
What do you think — Team Berlin or Team Duisburg?

18/05/2025

Behind the Curtains of Berlin's Art Deco Gem

Last week, our BBS excursion took us deep into the heart of Berlin’s cultural heritage – from the halls of the Kammergericht to the velvet seats of the Renaissance Theater.

At the Kammergericht, we explored the history and role of Berlin’s highest regional court. Even though photography inside was limited, the experience left a strong impression.

But the real spotlight fell on the Renaissance Theater – Europe’s only surviving Art Deco theater.
First glimpse of Europe’s only surviving Art Deco theater – right here in Berlin.
Inside, a masterpiece above greeted us: a chandelier that sets the tone for elegance and history.
Stepping into a time capsule – the view from the seats is as striking as the stage itself.

Our BBS group explored the building’s story, guided by a passionate expert.
Our BBS group exploring the story behind the façade – with a passionate guide at the helm.
From subtle ceiling designs with strong identity to playful yet refined lighting fixtures, every element reflected the spirit of the era.
Even the lights are storytellers.
And just when we thought we’d seen it all, a golden surprise waited on the wall –
A hidden gem: Art meets drama in every corner.

Thanks to everyone who joined, and to our generous hosts for letting us peek behind the curtains.

04/05/2025

We don’t really know how much beer was drunk on May 1st in Berlin
—but judging by the bottle-covered streets of Kreuzberg the next morning, it was a generous pour.

While crowds chilled in Mauerpark and kids rode the Ferris wheel at the at Kurt-Schumacher-Damm, the city’s political pulse beat loud and clear:
Over 5,700 police were deployed, and between 15,000–18,000 joined the demonstration.

Elsewhere, a techno rave in —cheekily titled —protested new fencing plans. The gathered at demanding better wages, and the satirical parade brought irony and edge to the leafy streets of West Berlin.

Berlin’s is never just a holiday—it’s a layered, noisy, and unforgettable look at the city’s many voices. And yes, there was beer.

11/04/2025

What Italy was for West Germans, Hungary became for the East.
No passports. No Mediterranean. But there was Lake Balaton.

East Germans came in the tens of thousands—camping, eating, resting, sometimes even escaping. Hungary offered warmth, flavor, and a glimpse of a world that felt slightly freer.

In our new blog post, we explore how this “socialist south” became a summer dream, and what memories still linger there today.

Read the full article
https://www.berlinguidesassociation.com/blog/east-germans-hungary-balaton

04/04/2025

On Monday, BBS members visited the visitor center of the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) for an exclusive lecture on Germany’s diplomatic work and foreign policy. While it wasn’t a full building tour, it offered valuable behind-the-scenes insights into one of the country's most influential ministries.

Located in a complex that bridges historical and modern architecture — from the former Reichsbank to the contemporary extension by Müller Reimann Architects — the setting itself sparked discussion on Germany’s evolving role in international affairs.

As always, this excursion was free for certified Berlin guides through their BBS membership — part of our commitment to continuous learning and deeper engagement with Berlin’s key institutions.

📚 Past excursions have included the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

Want to stay informed, inspired, and connected?
Join us,
www.berlinguidesassociation.com/join-us

19/03/2025

The DDR Museum Depot has reopened—at a new location in Berlin-Marzahn.

Think of the or , grand monuments to ancient civilizations. The new DDR Museum Depot is something different—a public archive for a country that disappeared not in antiquity, but within our own lifetime.

At its new home on Schorenbergstraße 33, the DDR Museum now makes its vast collection visible in a new way. Over 12,000 original objects—from furniture and household appliances to toys and textiles—are now housed in a transparent, walk-in storage space that offers visitors a rare view into the material culture of everyday life in the former East Germany.

The depot is more than storage—it’s a working archive, an educational space, and a reflection on how we preserve recent history. A place where school desks, radios, and filing cabinets tell stories as vividly as statues and mosaics.

📍 Schorenbergstraße 33, Berlin-Marzahn

Adresse

Berlin

Webseite

http://www.berlinguidesassociation.com/

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