Bombed to smithereens during World War II, the Neues Museum—inaugurated in 1855—reopened in 2009 following a slow and sensitive reconstruction by the office of British architect David Chipperfield; both the building and its inspiring contents are well worth the visit. The current structure, featuring delicately restored frescoes, beautifully renovated columns and doors, and deliberately preserved war damage, won the prestigious Mies van der Rohe Award in 2011. The museum’s collections comprise thousands of ancient artifacts from the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, the Museum of Prehistory and Early History, and the Collection of Classical Antiquities. Highlights include a 3,300-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti, the famous Neanderthal skull from Le Moustier in France, and Heinrich Schliemann’s collection of antiquities from Troy.
Family Group of Ptahmai, 1250-1200 BC. Egyptian art. Neues Museum. Berlin, Germany
Arturo Cano Miño / agefotostock
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Neues Museum | New Museum
Bombed to smithereens during World War II, the Neues Museum—inaugurated in 1855—reopened in 2009 following a slow and sensitive reconstruction by the office of British architect David Chipperfield; both the building and its inspiring contents are well worth the visit. The current structure, featuring delicately restored frescoes, beautifully renovated columns and doors, and deliberately preserved war damage, won the prestigious Mies van der Rohe Award in 2011. The museum’s collections comprise thousands of ancient artifacts from the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, the Museum of Prehistory and Early History, and the Collection of Classical Antiquities. Highlights include a 3,300-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti, the famous Neanderthal skull from Le Moustier in France, and Heinrich Schliemann’s collection of antiquities from Troy.
Visiting Nefertiti
The Neues Museum is on Museum Island on the Spree River in the Mitte District. Museum Island houses several of Berlin‘s most significant historical museums including the Altes Museum of Classical Antiquities, the Old National Gallery (the Alte Nationalgalerie), and the Pergamon Museum. The permanent exhibitions of the Neues Museum include Egyptian, Prehistoric, and early history collections. The large Egyptian collection focuses on the reign of King Akhenaton, but spans periods as far back as 4000 BC up to the Roman period. Of particular interest is the bust of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti, which is indeed a spectacular sight to behold. If you are planning to visit the Neues Museum, be sure to stroll through the Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden), a massive, lush green park, and the spectacular Berlin Cathedral, both located nearby on Museum Island.
