Pergamon Museum

The Pergamon Museum at the northern tip of Berlin's Museum Island is Germany's most spectacular antiquities institution. Alfred Messel designed it from 1907 to 1909 in austere neoclassicism, and Ludwig Hoffmann completed it by 1930. Three collections share the building: the Antikensammlung with the reconstructed Pergamon Altar, the Vorderasiatisches Museum with Babylon's blue Ishtar Gate, and the Museum of Islamic Art with the Mshatta facade. The Pergamon Altar dates from the 2nd century BC and was shipped to Berlin stone by stone after Carl Humann's excavations beginning in 1878. The main building is currently closed for a major renovation expected to last until 2027; a temporary exhibition hall shows highlights. Phased reopenings are planned for 2027 and 2037.