account 
Berlin's museum landscape is unique and a visit to Museum Island is particularly inspiring. Not only the Neues Museum or the important James Simon Gallery, but also the world-famous Pergamon Museum. Find out what this fascinating museum has to offer below.
Right in the heart of Berlin and in the middle of Museum Island, the German Pergamon Museum presents an impressive treasure to discover on your trip to Berlin. While the Museum Island itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the building of the historic museum itself is worth the trip. It was planned by Alfred Messel between 1907 and 1909 on behalf of Kaiser Wilhelm II and built by Ludwig Hoffmann until 1930. The Pergamon currently houses the Museum of Islamic Art as well as the Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Collection of Classical Antiquities, including the Pergamon Altar.
The first Pergamon Museum was opened in 1901 by Kaiser Wilhelm II. However, as the numerous ancient and archaeological objects that had been found during excavations in Babylon, Uruk, Egypt and Assur could not be adequately presented, Wilhelm von Bode planned a new building from 1906. Even at this time, it was planned to house different artifacts in separate wings. From 1907, Alfred Messel then developed a three-winged building based on Bode's plans, which was executed by Ludwig Hoffmann after his death.
Meanwhile, architects such as Wilhelm Wille, Walter Andrae, German Bestelmeyer and Ernst Kühnel were responsible for setting up the Department of the Ancient Near East, the Islamic Museum and the Picture and Sculpture Gallery. The latter, together with Ludwig Hoffmann, was entrusted with the construction of the extraordinary Mshatta façade. Hoffmann and Theodor Wiegand also jointly developed the spectacular concepts for the halls in which the Pergamon Altar, the Ishtar Gate and the fantastic Market Gate of Miletus can be seen today.
While construction work on today's Pergamon Museum was delayed by the First World War, the November Revolution of 1918 and increasing inflation in the early 1920s, the building was finally opened in 1930.
However, the German museum was severely damaged during the Allied air raids in the Second World War. In addition, many museum pieces were transported to Moscow and Leningrad from 1945 onwards, meaning that the museum could only be partially reopened in 1954. Between 1957 and 1958, many of the museum's holdings that had been transferred to Russia were finally returned to Germany and were kept by the GDR. After the individual sections of the museum were initially run as independent museums, the city combined the halls from 1958 onwards, giving the building its current name!
The Pergamon Museum invites you on a true journey through time. The Collection of Classical Antiquities, the Museum of Islamic Art and the Museum of the Ancient Near East are home to fascinating architecture and numerous exhibits from times long past. However, the undisputed highlights of the museum include the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus, the Mshatta Facade, the Babylonian Processional Way and the Ishtar Gate.
It is therefore not surprising that the building is the most visited museum in the German capital. With over one million visitors a year, it is also the most visited art museum in Germany.
If you would like to visit the world-famous museum complex in Berlin's city center, you can do so from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 and Thursday from 10:00 to 20:00 via the entrance at the Alte Nationalgalerie and the Neues Museum. Tickets for the museum and the fabulous Asisi Panorama currently cost 12 euros.
Alternatively, you can get fantastic discounts for numerous Berlin museums and galleries with the Berlin WelcomeCard. Or plan your visit to the capital for the first Sunday of every month. Then you can enjoy free admission to various first-class museums in the city.
Whether you want to visit the Altes Museum, the Neues Museum, the James Simon Gallery or the Pergamon Museum, Museum Island is within walking distance of Berlin's city center. Nevertheless, you can also easily reach the famous complex by public transport. From the main train station, for example, it is only a 20-minute ride on the S-Bahn to the Hackescher Markt stop.
In 2000, the decision was made to carry out the basic restoration and extension of the Pergamon Museum. After O.M. Ungers from Cologne was initially commissioned to develop new plans, the Pergamonmuseum consortium took over the execution of the upcoming work in 2007. The consortium currently includes the architectural firm Kleihues + Kleihues Gesellschaft von Architekten mbH from Berlin and BAL Bauplanungs und Steuerungs GmbH from Berlin.
As part of the so-called Museum Island Master Plan, the Pergamon Museum is to be renovated up to and including 2023 and a fourth exhibition hall is to be added so that visitors can enjoy a tour of the entire architecture in the future. For this reason, only selected areas are open to the public. Detailed information on the construction work or temporary closures can be found at any time on the official website of the Berlin State Museums.
Of course, there is much more to discover in the Spree metropolis than the Pergamon Museum. For example, how about a trip to Berlin Cathedral, the television tower not far from the famous Alexanderplatz or a visit to Checkpoint Charlie? Whatever you decide, you will certainly not be bored in Berlin.
However, to make the most of the capital's multifaceted offerings, you should definitely book a room in one of the B&B Hotels Berlin in good time. Simply click through the many comfortable hotels, such as the Hotel Berlin Alexanderplatz, and choose the accommodation that best suits your travel plans. Benefit from various services, an excellent price-performance ratio and, last but not least, an outstanding location not far from Berlin's most popular spots.
