Education and Culture

The Free University of Berlin, with more than 60,000 students, is Berlin's largest institution of higher learning. Other notable educational institutions include Humboldt University of Berlin, the University of Technology, the National College of Art, and several institutes of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of science.

Located on an island in the Spree are some of Berlin's major museums, including the Pergamon Museum, specializing in Greco-Roman and Oriental antiquities; the National Gallery, housing paintings and sculpture; and the Bode Museum, featuring Egyptian antiquities. Among other major museums are the New National Gallery, an art museum; and the Dahlem Museums, which include museums of painting, sculpture, and German folklore. A number of painting collections are housed in the former royal residences.

Berlin is a major center for the performing arts. The Berlin Philharmonic is one of the world's leading symphony orchestras. The city has several major opera houses, including the German Opera (Deutsche Oper), the German State Opera (Deutsche Staatsoper), and the Comic Opera (Komische Oper). The Staatsoper Ballet is an internationally acclaimed dance company. Among the prominent theaters are the Deutches Theater, the Schaubühne, and the Berliner Ensemble.