The museum was founded on October 19th, 1962, shortly after the construction of the Berlin Wall, as a protest against the Wall and to provide assistance to the people seeking help. The Berlin Wall Museum was formed with the purpose of fighting against human rights violations as a result of the wall. Gradually the museum increased its exhibition space and contributed to the fall of the Wall.

The museum had a vital role in history and the objects on display in the museum provide evidence of this. They are original artifacts from successful escapes such as a hot-air balloon, a mini-submarine, cars and airplanes. People helping East Germans to flee used the museum as a base from which they planned the escapes and organized resistance to the unjust GDR regime. After escaping, the refugees and their helpers donated their various means of conveyance and other objects to the museum.