What do I love so much about art exhibitions? They allow you to exist fully in the moment, away from everything happening online. Even though we often experience an exhibition on our own, a quiet sense of togetherness emerges. Berlin is known for its diverse exhibition venues. But if you’re ever in the mood for a trip to Potsdam, a visit to Das Minsk is worth it. It’s a place that brings together art, history, and food. For a long time, it didn’t look that way at all. The former GDR restaurant was on the verge of demolition in the mid-1990s, before Potsdam residents campaigned to preserve it. In 2019, the Hasso Plattner Foundation acquired the building and made its reconstruction possible. Today, it’s become an art house, and yet something of its original purpose has remained. Because Das Minsk is not simply an exhibition venue, it also has plenty to offer when it comes to food. The Art Breakfast is especially recommended. What could be better than being inspired by art and then treating yourself to a good breakfast? First, guides lead you through the current exhibition with background information on selected works. Until 09.08.2026, the exhibition Oscar Murillo. Collective Osmosis is on view. From 05.09.2026, there will be a retrospective of artist Annemirl Bauer and a cabinet presentation with ceramics from the workshop of Wilfriede Maaß. After that, breakfast at Cafébar Hedwig awaits. The bar counter is still in its original place, while the newly installed tiles come from Hedwig Bollhagen’s Bauhaus-influenced workshop. But that isn’t the only reason to take a look. Hedwig is also an exhibition space. On the walls are drawings by Romanian artist Dan Perjovschi, which humorously refer to the history of Minsk and the art world.

Events also take place at Cafébar Hedwig that play on the history of the building as a terrace restaurant. On 08.08., for example, painter and author Ulla Walter, Patrick Schwatke from the Michelin-starred restaurant Alte Überfahrt in Werder, and author and journalist Anja Reich-Osang come together for a panel discussion with snacks to discuss the facets of cultural and culinary change in eastern Germany. The nice thing about it is that you do not simply go home again after the exhibition. Instead, you sit together, talk about the works, and notice how differently they affect people. What thoughts did a painting trigger? What did it do to you? If breakfast is not your thing, there is a second option: Art & Aperitif. Here, too, everything starts with a guided tour through the current exhibition. Afterward, you head to the terrace on the upper floor, where you can enjoy aperitifs in the evening sun and start the weekend with a view. My personal highlight, however, is how art here suddenly becomes something you can experience with several senses. Using elemental materials, Argentinian artist Gabriele Chaile created the sculpture, Brenda. At first glance, it’s a clay sculpture with human facial features. During the 2026 summer season, however, it becomes a pizza oven on Saturdays for special occasions. Art and pizza are two things I would be reluctant to do without. Together, they create my personal heaven. As you can see, Das Minsk is more than just an art house. After a visit, you can be sure to return home with new impressions and a satisfied stomach.

Text: Isabelle Marten / Photos: Clemens Poloczek, Linus Müllerschön

Minsk, Max-Planck-Str.17, 14473 Potsdam; map

Art Breakfast, 05.07., 19.07., 02.08.2026. Find tickets here.
Art & Aperitif, 10.07., 24.07., 07.08.2026
Pizza on Saturdays & special occasions during summer 2026.

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It feels like the hottest summer ever. If you can’t find a shady spot outside, you’re better off staying inside with the fan on rather than melting in line at Prinzenbad. And to make all that horizontal time a little sweeter, Mubi is not only offering a great film lineup, but also a very good deal. All new Mubi subscribers can get 70 percent off the monthly price for six months, available from now until 06.07.2026. Great cinema for €4.80. Here’s a selection for your summer entertainment: Basking in after-sun, we start with Aftersun, a slightly faded vacation hotel in the late ’90s, with a pool, karaoke, and group outings. Eleven-year-old Sophie spends the summer holidays with her father, Calum. Years later, she grapples with the memories of that trip with the person she could never fully understand as a child. Charlotte Wells tells this story with remarkable calm, turning what seems like an ordinary vacation into a film that stays with you long after it ends.

Sorry, Baby brings a counterweight to summer lightness. Literature professor Agnes has experienced something terrible, but life goes on and passes her by. Over several chapters, she searches for a way back to herself. A film carried by dark humor and the power of friendship. We continue in Brazil in 1977 with The Secret Agent. Marcelo, played by Wagner Moura, is in his early 40s and on his way from São Paulo to Recife, where he hopes for a fresh start. But his past quickly catches up with him, drawing him into intrigue, corruption, and power struggles. A rich film with time jumps, sharks as evidence, a cameo by Udo Kier, and reassuringly unsettling social commentary. Here, lively and dark go hand in hand. If you prefer to spend summer with the car windows down, watch Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused. On the last day of school in 1976, teenagers drift through Austin, cruise through the night, look for the next party, and enjoy the moment between obligations and summer break. The film doesn’t need a big plot. It’s about hanging out, growing up, and an endless summer. If that still isn’t reason enough, at least tune in for Matthew McConaughey’s blow-dried side part. Now on Mubi. Curtains closed, fan on, popcorn in hand. Your Mubi summer awaits.

Text: Inga Krumme / Stills: Aftersun, Sorry, Baby, The Secret Agent

Mubi Summer Sale

This offer is valid until 06.07.2026. New customers and former members are eligible for a 70% discount on the monthly price for six months, bringing the subscription to 4.80€ per month.

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