At the foot of James-Simon-Gallerie | Photo: Unsplash, Karli CumberThe center point
The visitor center of the Museum Island is the James-Simon-Gallerie, which was opened in 2019 and is part of the Master Plan. The gallery provides access to the Pergamonmuseum and the Neues Museum. In future, four of the five museums will be accessible via the visitor center, providing access to the Bode-Museum and the Altes Museum as well. The gallery also displays temporary art and culture exhibitions.
In front of the Alte Museum | Photo: Unsplash, Shannia ChristantyThe first museum
The Alte Museum was opened in 1830 and was the first museum on the Spree Island. With its establishment, significant collections and art became accessible to the general public for the very first time. This museum houses treasures of classical antiquity, from sculptures to vases, jewelry and coins. The extensive coin collection with over 1300 pieces with gold and silver alloys invites particularly to marvel at. Also, the gold and silver jewelry of the treasure chamber shine in special splendor under the sky-blue ceiling.
Inside the Neue Museum | Photo: Flickr, Jorge Franganillo - CC BY-NC-SA 2.0On world tour
The Neue Museum was built up until 1855 and was particularly badly damaged by the war. After the ten-year renovation and reconstruction, the museum was reopened in 2009. The exhibits come from all over the world and cover thousands of years of prehistory and early history, with the Egyptian Museum being the most significant part. The bust of Nefertiti is displayed here under the north dome.
The domed hall of the Alten Nationalgalerie | Photo: Unsplash, Esther DGThe most impressive building
Since 1876 the Alte Nationalgalerie has had the most comprehensive collection of works from the period of the French Revolution up to the First World War. Sculptures as well as paintings from the Classicism, Romanticism, Biedermeier, Impressionism and Modernism periods can be admired on several floors. Among the most famous works are the sculpture by Auguste Rodin “The Thinker” and the painting “Monk by the Sea” by Caspar David Friedrich. In addition, there are also works of art by Monet and Renoir.
View on the Bode-Museum | Photo: Unsplash, Fionn GroßeGo on an exploration
The former Kaiser Friedrich Museum was opened in 1904 and is now known as the Bode-Museum. In 2005, the museum was completely renovated and is the flagship of the Museum Island. In this museum there are several collections that are not linked to each other. Here you can find a large collection of sculptures, works from the Middle Ages, which date back to the 19th century, Byzantine art as well as coins and medals.
Exhibition in the Pergamonmuseum | Photo: Unsplash, Girl with red hatThe most popular museum
In 1930, the Pergamonmuseum was added, the collections are impressively displayed and is now the most visited museum in Berlin. With a height of 17 meters, the most famous exhibit of antiquity of the Museum Island attracts visitors: the Roman gate building “Market Gate of Miletus”. The Pergamonmuseum consists of the Museum of Islamic Art and Collection of Classical Antiquities and the Foreign Asian Museum. Due to the extensive renovation measures as well as extensions, the Pergamonmuseum will remain closed at least until 2025. However, the gate building as well as the Babylonian Ishtar Gate with the Processional Way, the highlights of the Museum of the Ancient Near East and the artifacts of the Museum of Islamic Art will remain open to the public.