Ground control to all David Bowie fans: from May 20 to August 10, the Martin Gropius-Bau in Berlin, located on the banks of the River Spree, will host a major exhibition celebrating the artist’s extraordinary career. Curated by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the show “David Bowie Is” presents a wide-ranging retrospective of Bowie’s work, tracing his impact on music and popular culture and exploring how fashion, visual art, theater and film shaped his creative vision.
The exhibition uses advanced audiovisual and multimedia technology to immerse visitors in Bowie’s artistic world, with particular attention to the pivotal years he spent in Berlin from 1976 to 1978. Curators Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh drew on more than 300 items from the David Bowie Archive, all directly linked to the artist. While there are no guarantees of Spiders from Mars, attendees can expect a rich selection of original stage costumes, iconic photography, film and music video material, stage and set designs, Bowie’s personal instruments, and a selection of handwritten lyrics that reveal his creative process.
For visitors interested in related Berlin offerings, the city provides a lively mix of cultural and business events. Whether you’re planning a longer stay to sample museums and galleries or combining the visit with meetings and conventions, Berlin’s cultural calendar and venues complement an exhibition of this scale.
Wine and gastronomy enthusiasts may also find time to explore nearby regions known for their viticulture; Germany’s wine country offers excellent opportunities for short excursions that pair well with a cultural trip to Berlin.
The “David Bowie Is” exhibition at the Martin Gropius-Bau promises an in-depth, multimedia exploration of one of pop culture’s most influential figures—an essential experience for fans and anyone curious about the intersections of music, fashion and visual art in the late 20th century.