MUSEUMSINSEL
Formed by the two arms of the Spree River, the Museumsinsel is home to the world’s most diverse museum complex. Built between 1830 and 1930, the museums, which hold the Prussian royal collections of art and archaeology, were turned into a public foundation in 1918. Heavily damaged in World War II, the complex was restored and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Renovation work will go on until 2025 during which a path linking four museums will be created.
NEED TO KNOW
(030) 266 424 242 • www.smb.museum • Open 10am–6pm daily, until 8pm Thu (most museums); sections of the Pergamonmuseum may be closed due to a phased remodeling until 2025 Adm €11–13.50 per museum; Museumsinsel day pass €20; 3-day Berlin Museum Pass €33; extra fee for some exhibitions; free for under-18
- Some of the museums have cafés, but the café at the Altes Museum is convenient as it is a little closer than the others to Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, the island’s main road.
- It’s best to set aside a whole day for the extraordinary collections of the Museumsinsel. There are several parks nearby in which you can take breaks. Sundays can be very busy with long lines and large groups.
Map of the Museumsinsel
1. Bode-Museum
Located at the northern tip of Museumsinsel, the Bode-Museum is a stately structure dominated by a cupola. The building holds the Sculpture Collection, the Museum of Byzantine Art, and the Numismatic Collection, made up of a diverse collection of over 500,000 objects.
2. Pergamonmuseum
Built in 1909–30, this is one of the world’s most important museums (see Pergamonmuseum) of ancient art and architecture, with a vast collection of antiquities. The huge Ishtar gate dates from the 6th century BCE.
3. Neues Museum
Spectacularly revamped by British architect David Chipperfield, the building itself is as fascinating as its exhibits. As well as the Museum of Pre- and Early History, the Ägyptisches Museum is also housed here.
4. Ägyptisches Museum
Housed within the Neues Museum, this museum (Bodestraße 1) features portraits of Egyptian royals and monumental architecture.
5. Alte Nationalgalerie
First opened in 1876, the Old National Gallery was beautifully restored in the 1990s and now holds 19th-century sculptures and paintings (Bodestraße 1–3), with works by Schadow and Max Liebermann.
6. Berliner Dom
The island’s most overwhelming structure (Am Lustgarten 1), this Baroque-style cathedral is unusually ornate for a Protestant church. Organ concerts and services can be enjoyed in this exquisitely restored church.
Berliner Dom
7. Altes Museum
The first building to be completed on Museumsinsel in 1830, the Altes Museum (Am Lustgarten) resembles a Greek temple. Originally meant to hold paintings, it now houses the collection of Classical antiquities.
statue in Altes Museum
8. James Simon Gallery
Named in honor of James Simon (1851–1932), a patron of the Berlin State Museums, this will open in 2019 as the central entrance and visitor center.
9. Colonnade Courtyard
This columned courtyard between the Neues Museum and the Alte Nationalgalerie frames and connects the museums and provides an atmospheric venue for open-air concerts.
10. Lustgarten
This “pleasure park,” with a fountain in its center, is located in front of the Altes Museum (Am Lustgarten). The lawns are popular with tired visitors.
MISSING TREASURES
During World War II, many of the island’s exhibits were hidden in underground bunkers. Some pieces of “Priam’s Gold,” excavated from the site of ancient Troy, were taken by the Red Army as war booty and remain in Moscow. The Neues Museum points out where there are gaps in the collection.
