Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin

warnesdj

09 Jun 2016

Green oasis in the southern suburbs

5

5

Date of visit: June 2016

I am a carer or friend of a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: moving around

Overall Rating

Excellent

An attractive and extensive botanical garden and arboretum with wild meadow areas, an interesting museum and a really good place to eat, which is reviewed separately. If you love plants and birds and want a few hours away from the urban bustle, this is a great place to visit.

Disabled Access In and Around

Good

There are some paths which are too steep for wheelchair users, and some sections of cobbles and of gravel with bigger stones, but the main areas are accessible, as are the glasshouses and the museum. It is possible to borrow a wheelchair at the restaurant at the east gate. A few of the exhibits in the museum were not visible from a wheelchair and the captions are only in German.

Parking & Transport

Excellent

Can't comment on the parking. Bus M48 from Alexanderplatz drops you right by the eastern gate and runs every 10 minutes. The western (Dahlem) gate is also on a bus route. There is an S-bahn station (Line 1) called Botanischer Garten which is wheelchair accessible, but is probably 15 minutes wheel/walk from the garden.

Accessible Toilets

Excellent

There are three, of which we experienced two, one of which was in the restaurant (see separate review). The attendant at the ticket desk in the museum was very helpful and fetched the key for us from the porter's office. The loo was spacious & clean with sensible grab rails and alarm button which could be reached from the floor.

Staff

Excellent

Very helpful, giving directions, getting the loo key for us, opening doors in the museum. This is clearly an institution keen to be as accessible as possible.

Additional Information

The gardens are very varied - more so than the Edinburgh Botanical, with a mixture of formal planting and wild meadowland. We particularly enjoyed the Chinese garden and the arboretum. The small cafe by the glasshouses looked OK for drinks, though an unaccompanied wheelchair user would not be able to get up the steps to the server hatch. The restaurant by the east gate is fully accessible. Though we had no disabled ausweis, the accompanist was admitted free. A joint ticket for garden & museum costs €6. Don't bother with the museum if you can't read German captions - a shame, because the displays are very good.