The Story of Berlin's Clubs – Augmented Reality Guided Tour

What is this guided Berlin tour about?

In the Augmented Reality guided Berlin tour The Story of Berlin’s Clubs, we’ll discover Berlin’s culture and history of the past 50 years around sexual politics, techno, raving, and clubbing as you’ve never seen it before!

The recent history of clubbing in Berlin – from 1970s Chez Romy Haag to 2020s Berghain

Berghain is probably the world’s most famous club today. Its long rave and techno parties, combined with sexual liberty and their number one rule (“What happens in Berghain stays in Berghain”), have made it legendary. But did you ever wonder where it all started? In 1974, Germany’s most famous trans* woman Romy Haag opened her iconic nightclub in Berlin’s street prostitution district. Among the visitors were celebrities like Tina Turner, the Rolling Stones, and David Bowie. Discover how this began the half-a-century history of our current Berlin club culture that culminated in world-renowned clubs like Berghain and Kit Kat!

Berlin clubbing culture in light of the Berlin Wall and how marginalized communities shaped it

David Bowie’s visit to Chez Romy Haag was the beginning of a romance between the two. In 1977, he released Heroes, a song that would later be considered a catalyst to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Similarly, Berlin club culture is deeply connected to the history of the divided city and the hopes and dreams after the reunification. Are you tired of always the same historical tours? The Story of Berlin’s Clubs gives you a glimpse into the history of Berlin as you’ve never seen it before – while still being closely linked to the specific historical facts you know! Explore why Berlin’s clubs are more than just dance venues – they are also political spaces that helped shape the reunification. Also, from the beginning, queer and trans* communities have shaped clubbing culture in Berlin, as the area around Chez Romy Haag became one of the world’s most prominent gay districts.

Berlin clubs today

How many clubs are there today? What do they offer? What kind of music do they play? Why are they often regarded as places of sexual liberty, and exactly how sexually liberal are they? Why are they safer spaces for many marginalized communities? How did they survive the COVID-19 pandemic? Why did Germany recognize them as “cultural institutions”, and what advantages did this have? And how are Berlin clubs still political today? Get answers to all these and many more questions in this fascinating and exciting Berlin guided tour!

Discover it all in Augmented Reality

Powered by ZAUBAR: Travel through time and see it all in Augmented Reality: Join Queen’s Freddie Mercury while visiting Chez Romy Haag, dance to the predecessor to Berlin’s techno at Metropol, witness the emergence of Berlin’s modern LGBTIQ movement and its struggles with the AIDS crisis at SchwuZ, explore the movement against fascism and racism at SO36, and discover the sexual liberties and fetishes at Berghain, Kit Kat and Lab-Oratory!

What will I leave this guided Berlin tour with?

You will leave The Story of Berlin’s Clubs not only with a current overview of Berlin clubs, the culture they produce, and the communities they serve. You will also leave it with a better knowledge of the history and sexual politics of clubbing culture in Berlin, the origins of Berlin techno and raving, and a deep understanding of the influence of marginalized communities (for instance, LGBTIQ+ communities) on Berlin clubbing culture.

An exclusive look behind the scenes of a famous Berlin club

Ever wanted to get a look behind the scenes of a Berlin club? With BerlinGuide.de, you can! Get access to a Berlin club outside of the regular clubbing hours and see it as you’ve never seen it before. More info following soon.

Find out which club is perfect for you

Are you overwhelmed by the gigantic offer of Berlin clubs? Do you want to know which clubs are perfect for you? We’ll give you an overview of most Berlin clubs, their sexual politics, which communities call them their home, what music they play, and what art they exhibit. Never be lost in the landscape of Berlin clubs again!

A fun day with a guided tour of the next generation – in Augmented Reality!

Augmented Reality brings this guided Berlin tour to the next level! You’ll be getting your own iPad Pro to share with one or two other people and join the Berlin Guide on your historical and cultural city exploration in Augmented Reality! Via the iPad’s camera, you’ll be able to discover the reality of the city on your iPad with historical Augmented Reality elements placed over it. For instance, you’ll be able to see a building in front of you precisely in the way it looked in the past, with all the glamorous signs of the nightclub it housed during those times. Or you’ll stand next to celebrities in front of a club while the Berlin Guide provides you with more information. You’ll also be able to create “Mixies” – photographs of you with Augmented Reality elements! For instance, you can take a photo of yourself while demonstrating with the Homosexual Action Westberlin in the 1970s!

What do I need to bring?

A valid public transport ticket as we will travel by underground or bus.

Depending on the weather: An umbrella or sun protector and water. (The tour will be cancelled in extreme weather conditions, like heavy rain or storm. Of course, in that case you will be fully refunded.)

A curious mind and no reluctance to be entertained or shocked.

When and where does the tour happen, and how long does it take?

The Story of Berlin’s Clubs in Augmented Reality is still in production and is set to launch in late 2022. It will most probably start in front of Connection Club (Fuggerstraße 33, 10777 Berlin). For times, please check the schedule calendar when booking your tickets.

The guided Berlin tour will probably last about 3 hours and will presumably end at RAW Gelände (Revaler Straße 99, 10245 Berlin) at Warschauer Brücke. From there you get excellent public transport connections to anywhere in the city.

What does it cost, and what else do I need to know?

Pricing

The guided Berlin tour costs 49.00€ per person.

There is a 50% discount for students. Please bring a valid student ID to the tour to confirm you are a student.

Finally, there are discounts for group bookings:

• 3-4 people get a 20% discount.
• 5 or more people get a 30% discount.

Language

This guided Berlin tour is held in English. German tours can only be offered as private tours on request for 250€ (up to 9 participants), 300€ (10-14 participants), 350€ (15-19 participants), or 400€ (20+ participants). Please send me an email to [email protected] if you would like to book a private German tour.

Other info

Unfortunately, this guided Berlin tour is not yet entirely accessible by wheelchair due to one underground station that we need to use, which does not yet have an elevator. However, if you use a wheelchair and still want to participate, please send an email to [email protected] before you book, and we will find a solution.

This is a unique guided tour in Berlin that also makes an excellent gift for loved ones!

It is also possible to book a private tour. Please send an email to [email protected] to book your private tour. Prices are:

• 250€: up to 9 participants,
• 300€: 10-14 participants,
• 350€: 15-19 participants,
• 400€: 20+ participants.

This guided Berlin tour is only suitable for people who are at least 18 years of age.

Please be aware of the trigger/content warnings, which include: BDSM/kinks/fetishes, HIV/AIDS, homophobia, racism, sex, sexism, sexual abuse, sex work/prostitution, transphobia, and violence (physical, psychological, sexualized).

Host or Publisher Jeff Mannes | ORGYSMIC – The Sex Blog