The Pergamon Museum

The Pergamon Museum is a large and varied museum in Berlin housing three different exhibitions.

The Pergamon Museum history

Built between 1910 and 1930, the Pergamon is one of the museums constituting the internationally acclaimed National Museums of Berlin. Together with the Altes, Bode, Neues, and Old National Gallery, it is situated on the city’s Museum Island, which in 1999 was named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

One of the collections at the Pergamon Museum is part of the Classical Antiquities, known as the Antikensammlung. This collection includes mostly Greek and some Roman pieces ranging from jewellery to sarcophagi, sculptures and even remains from buildings. The museum takes its name from its most famous attraction, the reconstruction of the second century BC Pergamon Altar, one of the sites from the ancient city of Pergamon and with its Hellenistic fresco depicting the battle of the Giants and the Gods.

The largest collection at the Pergamon Museum is that of its Museum of the Ancient near East or ‘Vorderasiatisches Museum’, which covers over 2,000 square feet and around six thousand years of history. From reconstructions of Babylonian monuments such as the Ishtar Gate, the facade of the throne hall of King Nebuchadnezzar II and the Tower of Babel to ninth millennium BC reliefs from the Assyrian palace of Kalchu, this is a fascinating exhibit.

The Pergamon Museum today

The Pergamon is Berlin’s most visited museum. The museum also contains a Museum of Islamic Art or ‘Museum für Islamische Kunst’ in its southern wing where it displays everything from Islamic jewellery to architectural decorations.

Getting to the Pergamon Museum

The museum is easily accessible by public transport. The nearest U-Bahn and S-Bahn stops are Friedrichstraße and Hackescher Markt. The nearest tram stops are Am Kupfergraben, Hackescher Markt and there are also several bus stops nearby.