Pergamon Museum
The Pergamon Museum, built between 1910 and 1930, is one of the most impressive museums in the world and attracts countless visitors annually to the Berlin Museum Island. Famous for its monumental reconstructions such as the Pergamon Altar, the Ishtar Gate, and the Market Gate of Miletus, the museum offers unique insights into ancient cultures. Despite ongoing renovations, it remains a central attraction and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. A new access concept and the addition of a fourth wing will make the Pergamon Museum even more attractive in the coming years. Discover masterpieces from Egypt, the Near East, Greece, Rome, and the Islamic world, and walk in the footsteps of millennia-old history. Here you will find all the important information and can book your online tickets.
table of contents
Pergamon Museum: Visitor Magnet on Berlin’s Museum Island
The Pergamon Museum in Berlin was constructed between 1910 and 1930 based on designs by Alfred Messel and built by Ludwig Hoffmann. Previously, a smaller building stood on the same site but had to be demolished due to insufficient foundations. The new, larger building was designed as a three-wing complex and today houses the Collection of Classical Antiquities, the Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Museum of Islamic Art. The Pergamon Museum is best known for its impressive reconstructions of archaeological ensembles such as the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate with the Processional Way from Babylon, and the Mshatta Facade.
Despite ongoing renovations, the Pergamon Museum in Berlin remains one of the most visited museums in the city. The museum is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Museum Island. As part of a comprehensive renovation and expansion plan by O.M. Ungers, the museum will be supplemented with a fourth wing. This new tour will feature monumental architectural exhibits from Egypt, the Near East, Greece, Rome, and the Islamic cultural area. The renovation is taking place in several phases, and a new access concept will better integrate the Pergamon Museum into Museum Island.
Highlights of the museum include the turquoise Ishtar Gate and the impressive Market Gate of Miletus. Visitors can walk along the Processional Way of Babylon as it was 2,600 years ago and explore the world of classical antiquity. In addition to architectural masterpieces from the Near East and antiquity, the upper floor also displays magnificent works from the Islamic cultural area. Significant finds from Troy, Pergamon, Miletus, Babylon, and other ancient cities discovered by German researchers in the 19th century form the core of the exhibition. Key exhibits include the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate, and the intricate Mshatta Facade from Jordan.
Pergamon Museum: History, Architecture & Construction
The first building of the Pergamon Museum was constructed between 1897 and 1899 based on plans by Fritz Wolff and opened in 1901. However, due to damages caused by insufficient foundations, this building had to be demolished in 1908. The current monumental three-wing building was designed by Alfred Messel and built under the direction of Ludwig Hoffmann, with construction delayed by World War I and inflation. The Pergamon Museum opened in 1930 and contains impressive architectural masterpieces from various cultures.
When it opened in 1930, the Pergamon Museum housed four museums: the German Museum in the North Wing, the Antiquities Department in the Central Wing, and the Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Museum of Islamic Art in the South Wing.
During World War II, the Pergamon Museum was heavily damaged. Many exhibits were relocated or walled up to protect them. After the war, many objects were transported to Russia by the Red Army, where some remain to this day. Starting in 1953, individual museum rooms were reopened, and only after the return of most confiscated pieces in 1958/59 were all exhibition rooms accessible again. The North Wing was now used by the Collection of Classical Antiquities, the Museum of East Asian Art, and the Museum of Folklore. The Pergamon Altar and other important collections were largely restored. Since 1958, the entire building has been called the “Pergamon Museum,” which today is considered one of the main attractions of the State Museums in Berlin.
Since 2013, the Pergamon Museum has been undergoing phased renovations as part of the Master Plan Museum Island. The first phase began in 2013, during which the hall with the Pergamon Altar, the North Wing, and the Central Wing with the Hellenistic Hall remained closed. The South Wing with the Ishtar Gate, the Processional Way, and the Museum of Islamic Art, as well as the hall with the Market Gate of Miletus, remained accessible. Since October 2023, the museum has been completely closed for about four years, with partial reopening planned for 2027 and full reopening in 2037. The reopening of the hall with the Pergamon Altar and the newly established Museum of Islamic Art in the North Wing is planned for 2027.
Collections of the Pergamon Museum
The Pergamon Museum in Berlin is home to three major collections: the Collection of Classical Antiquities, the Museum of Islamic Art, and the Museum of the Ancient Near East. These collections will continue to be displayed there in the future. After the general renovation is completed, the monumental architecture of the Egyptian Museum will also be presented. Each collection and its architectural exhibits will be housed in one of the wings of the building, creating a clear structured tour through ancient architectures.
The Collections in Detail
Collection of Classical Antiquities
The Collection of Classical Antiquities is one of the most significant collections of Greek and Roman art worldwide and is spread across three locations: the Pergamon Museum, the Altes Museum, and the Neues Museum. The Pergamon Museum displays architectural structures from Greek and Roman times. The main attraction is the Pergamon Altar, whose sculptural frieze depicts the battle of the Olympian gods with the giants. Another highlight is the Market Gate of Miletus from the Roman period around 100 AD.
Museum of the Ancient Near East
The Museum of the Ancient Near East documents 6,000 years of cultural history in Mesopotamia, Syria, and Anatolia. The approximately 270,000 objects mainly come from major German excavations in Babylon, Assur, Uruk, and Sam’al. The main attractions include the reconstructions of the Ishtar Gate and the Processional Way of Babylon from the time of Nebuchadnezzar II. Another significant exhibit is the earliest written evidence of humanity in cuneiform on clay tablets from Uruk.
Museum of Islamic Art
The Museum of Islamic Art is one of the most outstanding collections of Islamic art outside the Islamic world. It showcases masterpieces of applied art and archaeological evidence of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish cultures from the 8th to the 19th century. Particularly impressive are the monumental architectural works such as the Mshatta Facade from Jordan and the Aleppo Room with its splendid wall paneling from the 17th century.
Pergamon Museum. The Panorama
The exhibition “PERGAMON. Masterpieces of the Ancient Metropolis and 360° Panorama by Yadegar Asisi” in the “Pergamon Museum. The Panorama” continues the successful collaboration between the Collection of Classical Antiquities and artist Yadegar Asisi. Visitors are transported to the year 129 AD and experience the ancient city of Pergamon during the time of Emperor Hadrian. The revised panorama, which includes about 40 new scenes, was created in close cooperation with the Collection of Classical Antiquities. Additionally, around 80 significant works from Pergamon are presented, including meticulously restored originals such as the large female statues and sculptures from the roof of the Great Altar.
The exhibition combines archaeological and architectural research with Asisi’s artistic interpretation to create an impressive overall artwork. Various installations and new drawings by Asisi deepen the understanding of the ancient world. The presentation offers a unique exhibition experience that shows the Pergamon Altar in its original architectural context on the Acropolis. Already in 2011/12, around 1.5 million people visited the exhibition. The current exhibition is made possible by the financial support of Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG.
Visitor Information
Opening Hours
The Pergamon Museum is currently closed. However, you can visit the exhibition “PERGAMON. Masterpieces of the Ancient Metropolis and 360° Panorama by Yadegar Asisi“, open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
Address
Bodestraße 1-3, 10178 Berlin