A VISIT TO THE RAMONES MUSEUM – HEY HO, LET’S GO!

As a fan of 10+ years, I’m super excited to visit the Ramones Museum in Berlin-Kreuzberg, Germany. It’s the first and only Ramones Museum in the world, and was founded by Flo Hayler, a music journalist and huge fan, in 2005. According to their website, more than 1,000 original artifacts, representing the band’s history from 1974-1996, are exhibited.

Breakfast at the Bar & Café area

I’m worried about getting hungry while touring the museum, so my first stop is the cozy (inside) Bar & Café area. All breakfast foods are either vegan or vegetarian. I’m having the “Blitzkrieg Bop” breakfast, that consists of two slices of bread with a few veggies, sliced cheese (a vegan spread can be ordered instead, if preferred), and veggie cold cuts, and a bottle of Club-Mate, a non-alcoholic caffeine drink often found in Eastern Germany. The food arrives quickly, and it’s minimalist but amazing, just like many of the band’s songs!

The punk music playing in the background is another bonus. There’s no way to miss the Wall of Fame, where tons of great bands (e.g. Rise Against, Die Toten Hosen, and The Undertones), that visited the museum, had left their signature. And the photos of various artists on the wall are worth mentioning as well!

The “Blitzkrieg Bop” breakfast, and a small overview of breakfast food items available.

Partial Bar and Café area, including a few photos and the Wall of Fame!

Unfortunately, I don’t have a chance to try any of their (mostly vegan) cakes, a hot or cold (alcoholic) drink, or check out an event. But these are on my bucket list for next time!

A small selection of pastries and drinks available, both photo courtesy of the Ramones Museum.

The Ramones Museum tour

Then I’m walking through the swinging doors, to check out the museum area!

The entrance to the museum.

I quickly learn that the museum’s treasures are shown in the chronological order of the band’s history, so it starts with their early years from the mid to late 1970s. My favourite displays of this period are: A signed cover of the first Ramones album (1976), photo courtesy of the Ramones Museum, band member pictures and handwritten lyrics to “Judy is a Punk” (1976), a photo of Johnny Ramone and Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols (1977), a poster from their gig in Lyon, France, on Apr 28, 1977, and Marky Ramone’s shoes, worn during their European tour in 1978.

Next, I enter a separate room, where “Rock’n’Roll High School”, a teen comedy movie featuring the band, published in 1979, is playing. It’s great to sit on the couch for a break, and I like the cool t-shirts and posters hanging on the wall, that were made specifically because of the movie.

Start saving your ideas

As I keep on walking, I find more awesome Ramones memorabilia, from the 1980s until 1996. Here are some examples: Ticket stub from a gig in Berlin, and picture of a show in Tokyo, Japan (both 1980), and an article in the New York Post about Johnny Ramone (1983). These two are photo courtesy of the Ramones Museum, then CJ Ramone’s bass guitar. Also, a set list for a gig, each band member’s profile, and poster of their show in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 16, 1996. The last one is also photo courtesy of the Ramones Museum.

After the museum tour, I can’t resist buying a Ramones Museum t-shirt and sticker from the gift shop. I mean, I have to get something to not forget that I visited this place, once I’m old… Just kidding. 😀

Past events at the Ramones Museum

Many times, The Ramones Museum was transformed into a concert venue, and these artists, among others, played (at least) one show: Frank Turner, Anti-Flag, The Gaslight Anthem, Jet, and even CJ Ramone! In August 2020, “Window Shows” were added to their program, i.e. the musician(s) play(s) inside, and the audience is outside. What an awesome way to enjoying yourself during the times we’re in right now! The museum often hosted other events as well, like Rock ‘n’ Roll Jukebox, and a Vegan Punk Rock Brunch.

Directions & Admission cost

In the past, the Ramones Museum was at Oberbaumstraße 5 in Berlin-Kreuzberg.

Please note that the Ramones Museum is temporarily closed. But I recommend keeping it in mind, and checking before your trip to Berlin if they reopened in the meantime 😉

Recently, Flo Hayler started the NERDCAST, a free video podcast on YouTube, where you can learn more about the legendary Ramones! CJ Ramone will be a part of a every episode, and you can listen to interviews with family, friends, and fans of the band. You can find more infos here.

Here’s the previous Admission cost for your reference:

  • It’s 5 Euros to visit the museum, and this includes a Ramones Museum pin. If you bring it when you return in the future, admission is free!
  • For 7 Euros, you get museum admission, plus a hot or cold drink (except long drinks).
  • For 12 Euros, you can visit the museum, plus a breakfast for one person.
  • For 24 Euros, you get museum admission, and a shirt of your choice, except long sleeves.

Entering the Ramones Museum Bar and Café area is free of charge.

My Opinion on the Ramones Museum

I was amazed by the immense detail, effort, time, and passion that must have been put into setting up the Ramones Museum over the years. Although the museum area is rather small, it’s very well organized. I also appreciated the kind staff, warm atmosphere, and very affordable prices.

So whether you’re into The Ramones or not, I think this museum is worth visiting, to learn about the band’s large impact on the history of music. Plus, their large breakfast kept my belly satisfied for a long time! For me, it was an awesome start to exploring Berlin, as several tourist attractions (e.g. East Side Gallery and the Brandenburg Gate) are not far away.

Feel free to check out Rebecca’s blog post to learn more about Berlin’s tourist attractions, and tons of yummy vegan food options! 😋

If you’re looking for more cool things to do in Berlin, check out this blog post:

24 Hours in Berlin, Germany

This post was last updated December 2, 2022.

Disclosure: I only recommend products that I’ve used in the past, and all opinions expressed in this post are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you use one of the links throughout the page to buy something, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks.

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