Stasi Museum

The Stasi Museum in Berlin-Lichtenberg is housed in the former headquarters of the Ministry for State Security. Built in 1960, the building served until 1989 as the office of Erich Mielke, the longtime Minister for State Security. Today, the museum presents a permanent exhibition in the original, preserved offices, shedding light on how the Stasi operated and on surveillance practices in East Germany. Visitors can tour the minister's former offices and learn about the history of the opposition as well as the Peaceful Revolution. Since 1990, the building has been open to the public as a memorial site run by the ASTAK association, after civil rights activists occupied the headquarters to prevent the destruction of files. The offerings are rounded out by an outdoor exhibition on German reunification and a large-scale artwork on the building that can only be seen in its entirety from a bird's-eye view.