I have always loved peeking into the universities of the cities I visit. If Berlin was still new to me, I wish I’d stumble across the enchanted art school Universität der Künste (UdK) in Charlottenburg. The place is simply magic: the historical building with its big courtyard, the wild ivy, the many hidden passages – and the promising œuvre of young artists which make you want to start your art collection right away.

One of my favorite art events of the year is the “UdK Rundgang”, when the art school has two open days on a weekend during the summer and also at their other locations in the city. All the workshops are open and the master classes display their final works. The opening night in Charlottenburg has turned into somewhat of a legend and recently became a private event because of the overwhelming number of visitors – but you can find ways to get in if you know some art people in the city (and there are many in Berlin)… 

If you are visiting the classy district of Charlottenburg and are close to the Zoo, Kantstraße and Kurfürstendamm, pay a visit to the holy halls of Udk; their doors are always open and you might stumble across one interesting student project or another, or you can simply marvel at the architecture.