Looking for things to do during your stay in the German capital? Don’t miss a visit to Berlin’s prestigious Pergamon Museum!
The Pergamonmuseum or Pergamon Museum in Berlin, Germany, is an archaeological museum dedicated to ancient, Islamic and Near Eastern art, located on the north side of Museum Island in the heart of the city. With over a million visitors a year, it is the most visited museum in the German capital.
The reason? The Pergamon Museum, already an imposing building in its own right, houses both precious treasures and monumental ancient works, such as reconstructions of the Great Altar of Pergamon, its centerpiece, and the Gate of Ishtar.
Is visiting the Pergamon Museum in Berlin on your to-do list? We’ve compiled all the useful and practical information about this world-famous museum in this article.
A brief history of the Pergamon Museum in Berlin
Photo credit: Instagram – laisalencar
In 1901, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany inaugurated what was to become the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. However, the building was deemed too small and unstable to house the remains of monuments of rare magnitude, such as the Great Altar of Pergamon, and was demolished a few years later, in 1908, to make way for the great museum we know today.
Designed by Alfred Messel and Ludwig Hoffman, two renowned German architects, the Pergamon Museum in Berlin was built over a period of twenty years, from 1910 to 1930. Today, visitors can admire important treasures from archaeological excavations carried out in the 19th century.
During the Second World War, the museum suffered from bombing, but most of its collections were protected. The official name of Pergamon Museum for the entire monument was adopted in 1958.
Since 2013, major renovation work has been underway on Museum Island as part of the Masterplan Museumsinsel, resulting in the closure of some of the museum’s rooms. But rest assured, the renovation is scheduled for completion in 2024!
What to see and do at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin?
Photo credit: Flickr – Paul VanDerWerf
Why visit the Pergamon Museum in Berlin? This vast complex of three wings houses collections from the capital’s State Museums: the Antiquities Collection, the Near Eastern Museum and the Museum of Islamic Art.
In other words, you’ll have the pleasure of admiring reconstructions of huge archaeological structures on a rare scale, as well as unique objects and works of art such as sculptures, pottery, mosaics, jewelry and other finds from the past.
The Classic Antiques Collection
This is one of the most important collections of Greek and Roman art in the world. It includes architectural fragments of ancient monuments, as well as sculptures and objects dating from the Hellenistic period to the fall of the Roman Empire.
It’s in this part of the museum that you can see the mythical and monumental works of the Great Altar of Pergamum (2nd century BC), dedicated to Zeus, or Millet’s Market Gate (2nd century AD), for example.
Near East Museum
More than 6,000 years of history are brought together in this impressive collection devoted to the regions of Mesopotamia, Syria and Anatolia.
A reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate (6th century BC), an extract from the Babylonian Processional Way, and some 270,000 objects and documents dating from the earliest days of writing are all on display, much to the delight of the thousands of curious visitors who flock to Berlin’s Pergamon Museum every year.
Museum of Islamic Art
Planning a visit to the Pergamon Museum in Berlin? Don’t miss the Islamic art department and its precious masterpieces dating from the 7th to the 19th century.
It includes a 45-metre-long façade from Jordan’s Mshatta Palace (8th century), the famous Aleppo Room (Syria) with its brightly painted wooden panels (17th century), as well as objects such as carpets from Iran, Asia Minor, Egypt and the Caucasus.
Le Panorama
Pending the completion of renovations and the full reopening of the site, a 360° panorama of the ancient city of Pergamon and the works in its collection has been installed, offering visitors an immersive exploration. Join us in 129 A.D., on the west coast of Asia Minor, to discover the Pergamon Altar in its original context.
This three-dimensional, 30-metre-high installation by artist Yadegar Asisi can be seen in a temporary pavilion, which will remain open until the work is completed.
How do I get to the Pergamon Museum in Berlin?
The Pergamon Museum in Berlin, Germany, enjoys an excellent location on Museum Island, right in the heart of the capital. This island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to no fewer than five state museums, as well as Berlin Cathedral and Lustgarten Park.
How do I get there? You can choose between :
- Subway: U-Bahn U6 to Friedrichstraße station
- By train: S-Bahn S1, S2 or S25 to Friedrichstraße station, or S-Bahn S5, S7 or S75 to Hackescher Markt station.
- Streetcar: M1 or 12 to Am Kupfergraben stop, or M4, M5 or M6 to Hackescher Markt stop
- Bus: Bus TXL to Staatsoper, Bus 100 or 200 to Lustgarten or Bus 147 to Friedrichstraße
Once there, unless specified on your ticket, you can choose to start at the Pergamon Museum or the Panorama.
Opening hours and admission fees of the Pergamon Museum in Berlin
Photo credit: Flickr – Joan
SCHEDULES
When is the Pergamon Museum in Berlin open? The monument is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until 8 p.m. on Thursdays.
Please note: it is no longer possible to buy a ticket or enter thirty minutes before closing time.
RATES
The Pergamon Museum and Panorama are available at three price levels:
- Regular price: €19
- Reduced rate (students, disabled persons…): €9.50
- Free for children under 18
For holders of the Museumsinsel ticket, Berlin Passes such as Museumspass Berlin, Welcome Card Museumsinsel or Jahreskarte Basic, an additional ticket at €6 (normal rate) or €3 (reduced rate) is required to visit the Panorama.
Don’t hesitate to buy your tickets online to save time when you get there!
Important: your ticket will only be valid for entry within 30 minutes of the time chosen at the time of purchase.
GOOD TO KNOW
So that you have all the information in your head, here are the last things you need to know before visiting the Pergamon Museum in Berlin:
- During the renovation of Museum Island, scheduled for completion in 2024, some parts of the Pergamon Museum are inaccessible to the public.
- The temporary exhibition pavilion, Le Panorama, set up as a substitute until the site is fully reopened, is located in Am Kupfergraben, opposite the Museumsinsel (Museum Island).
- Due to the major works and the high number of visitors to the museum, waiting times at the entrance may be longer.
- The museum is currently not adapted for people with reduced mobility.
- Audioguides are available free of charge on site.
- It is possible to book a guide in advance by contacting the museum directly. A supplement will be charged.