Old Museum

Altes Museum (Old Museum) General information: One of the most important museums in Berlin, located on Museum Island (included in the UNESCO World Heritage List). Built in 1823–1830 according to the design of the great German architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. It was originally created as the first public museum in Prussia to make works of art accessible to all levels of society. Architecture: The building is considered a neoclassical masterpiece and an example of the Greek Revival. The main facade is decorated with a monumental Ionic colonnade overlooking the Lustgarten square. The central place inside is occupied by a majestic rotunda, inspired by the Roman Pantheon, along the perimeter of which there are statues of ancient gods. Exposition: The museum houses the famous Antique Collection (Antikensammlung). The collection covers the art and culture of antiquity: Ancient Greece, Etruria and Ancient Rome. The main exhibits: antique sculptures (including the famous “Boy Killing Geese”), Etruscan bronzes, huge amphorae, masterpieces of ancient vase painting and collections of ancient jewelry. History: The building was heavily damaged during the Second World War. Its large-scale restoration began in the 1950s, and the museum reopened in 1966. A complete historical restoration of the interiors was completed only in 2010.