Altes Museum — Attraction in Berlin

The Old Museum, also known as the Altes Museum, is a true gem in the heart of Berlin and one of the highlights of the city's Museum Island. It leaves visitors with a multitude of positive impressions due to its stunning architecture, rich historical collections, and captivating exhibitions.

One of the first things that captivates visitors is the magnificent architecture of the Old Museum. Designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel and completed in 1830, the building showcases neoclassical architecture at its finest. Its grand colonnaded facade, majestic dome, and symmetrical layout create a sense of elegance and harmony. The museum's exterior alone is a sight to behold and sets the stage for the remarkable treasures housed within.

Upon entering the Old Museum, you are greeted by a spacious central hall known as the Rotunda. The Rotunda features a soaring dome, adorned with stunning frescoes and decorative motifs. This impressive space serves as a hub connecting different galleries and exhibitions within the museum.

The Old Museum houses a vast collection of antiquities, particularly from ancient Greece and Rome. The artifacts on display range from intricately carved sculptures and statues to delicate pottery and exquisite jewelry. Each piece tells a story of ancient civilizations, offering insights into their art, culture, and way of life. The museum's collection is thoughtfully curated, providing a comprehensive overview of classical antiquity.

The exhibition spaces within the Old Museum are designed to showcase the artifacts in a visually appealing and informative manner. The galleries are spacious, well-lit, and expertly arranged, allowing visitors to appreciate the intricate details and craftsmanship of each piece. The informative signage and multimedia displays provide context and enhance the understanding of the exhibited works.

One of the highlights of visiting the Old Museum is the opportunity to see iconic artifacts, such as the famous Berlin Gold Hat, the Praying Boy sculpture, and the Market Gate of Miletus. These masterpieces not only reflect the artistic achievements of their respective periods but also hold historical and cultural significance.

In addition to its permanent collection, the Old Museum also hosts temporary exhibitions that explore a variety of themes, artists, and time periods. These special exhibitions offer a chance to delve deeper into specific subjects and provide fresh perspectives on art and history.

The Old Museum's location on Museum Island adds to its appeal. Surrounded by other renowned museums and cultural institutions, it forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors can easily explore multiple museums and immerse themselves in the rich cultural offerings of Berlin.

In conclusion, the Old Museum Berlin is a treasure trove of ancient art and artifacts, housed within a magnificent architectural masterpiece. Its neoclassical beauty, rich collections, informative exhibitions, and prime location make it a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts, art lovers, and anyone seeking a captivating cultural...

The Old Museum of Berlin is, without a doubt, my favorite museum of all time. Being from Berlin myself, I know it very well and yet, every few months it drags me back. The Old Museum has a never-ending exhibition about ancient Greek and ancient Roman art, divided into two floors. It ranges from the early beginnings of Greece, has many depictions of Greek gods and mythology, gives you a beautiful view on daily life in ancient Greece and, on the second floor, continues with the Etruscan era in Italy, until it leads you into the Roman Empire, which also includes a small “Garden of Delights”, in which you can find some explicit depictions of ancient life. Statues of all sizes, coins, amphoras, kylixes, dishes and more are waiting for you here, offering you a total number of thousands of objects. And even I still find something new here and there, while the information tablets on every object and the writings on the walls in German and English language give you a lot of information about these long gone, yet so beautiful times.

I have to admit that I am a lifelong fan of Amazons and even dedicated my own webpage to them. Therefore, my great highlight in the Old Museum is of course the life-sized statue of a Wounded Amazon, a beautiful copy of the Greek original by Praxiteles from 430 BC. There are also some other Amazon depictions, like an amphora on which Herakles is fighting with two Amazons, or a Roman mirror on the second floor, which includes a carving of Achilles fighting Queen Penthesilea. Especially impressive is also the giant rotunda of the Old Museum, in which you can find many different statues of Greek gods and goddesses, of which Artemis is my true favorite, along with Athena.

I can only write this: If you own just one small piece of love for ancient Greek and Roman history, or if you just like ancient European art, the Old Museum of Berlin is an absolute must see for you. Just be advised that the museum keeps its doors closed on Monday. If you take your time and watch most of the objects closely, while also reading many of the information tablets and the information on the walls, a trip through this outstanding museum can take up to three hours. Yet, I can guarantee that it is a beautiful time, which you will never regret to have spent. You can also buy electronic tickets via the museum's website, so that you save time for your entry and I personally recommend you of doing so.

I have shot all of those photos for my review on 10th October 2023, but please be advised that even these only give you a very small glimpse of the thousands of objects that await you within the Old Museum. Included are the statue of the Wounded Amazon, Athena, Artemis, Herakles, Herakles fighting two Amazons, a maenad, two Greek depictions of daily life, a Roman mirror with a carving of Achilles fighting Queen Penthesilea, a Roman girl playing with bones, a bust of Queen Cleopatra VII., a bust of Gaius Iulius Caesar and a statue of...

The Altes Museum (German for Old Museum) is a museum building on Museum Island in Berlin, Germany. Since restoration work in 2010–11, it houses the Antikensammlung (antiquities collection) of the Berlin State Museums. The museum building was built between 1823 and 1830 by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel in the neoclassical style to house the Prussian royal family's art collection. The historic, protected building counts among the most distinguished in neoclassicism and is a high point of Schinkel's career. Until 1845, it was called the Königliches Museum (Royal Museum). Along with the other museums and historic buildings on Museum Island, the Altes Museum was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. The Altes Museum was originally constructed to house all of the city's collections of fine arts, including Old Master paintings, and prints and drawings. However, since 1904, the museum has solely housed the Antikensammlung (Collection of Classical Antiquities). Since 1998, the Collection of Classical Antiquities has displayed its Greek collection, including the treasury, on the ground floor of the Altes Museum. Special exhibitions are displayed on the second floor of the museum. Under General Director Ludwig Justi, the building was the first museum of Museum Island to undergo reconstruction and restoration, which was carried out from 1951 to 1966 by Hans Erich Bogatzky and Theodor Voissen. Following Schinkel's designs, the murals of the rotunda were restored in 1982. However, neither the ornate ceilings of the ground floor exhibition rooms nor the pairs of columns under the girders were reconstructed. The former connection to the Neues Museum has also not been rebuilt; instead, an underground passageway connecting all of the museums of Museum Island is planned as part of the Museumsinsel 2015...