The German Architecture Museum (DAM) sits in a remarkable building in its own right — a 19th-century Schaumainkai villa whose interior was hollowed out in 1984 by Oswald Mathias Ungers and rebuilt as a "house within a house": a free-standing concrete-and-stone abstract dwelling surrounded by the original shell. The Ungers conversion is half the reason to visit, and the museum stages exhibitions inside, around and underneath it.
The collection itself focuses on the history of architecture from the 19th century to the present, with a strong emphasis on Germany and the wider Modernist movement. Permanent displays include 24 large-scale models walking through architectural history from the Mesopotamian ziggurat to the post-modern skyscraper. Temporary shows are typically excellent and cover everything from individual architects to urban design themes. Tuesday to Sunday; check site for current opening as the museum is undergoing refurbishment.