Countdown Begins at Berlin’s Pergamon Museum

The countdown has begun at Berlin’s world-renowned Pergamon Museum, which was assembled piece by piece from artifacts brought from Türkiye.

Construction work on the museum’s central building, home to the famous Pergamon Altar, as well as the northern wing is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The first phase of the reopening is scheduled for spring 2027.

During a press tour at the construction site, officials announced that work in the Northern Wing and the Central Building, which houses the iconic Pergamon Altar, is progressing as planned and will be finalized by year’s end.

Germany’s Minister of Culture, Wolfram Weimer, described the Pergamon Museum as a “treasure chest of human history.”

As part of the restoration process, large architectural elements remained in place, while some artifacts, including sculptures, were temporarily relocated. Items from the museum’s collection are being gradually returned in preparation for the planned reopening.

In spring 2027, visitors will gain access to architectural halls from the Antique Collection, a new permanent exhibition of the Museum of Islamic Art, and a gallery featuring works from the Museum of the Ancient Near East. A new entrance pavilion has also been constructed.

It was noted that the reconstruction of the Mshatta Façade and the Aleppo Room, both belonging to the early Islamic period and part of the Museum of Islamic Art, has been completed. The cost of the first phase of renovations has been announced at €489 million.

However, it will take considerably longer for the Pergamon Museum, widely regarded as one of the world’s most important museums, to fully reopen.

The Southern Wing, which houses iconic artifacts such as the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and the Processional Way, will remain closed for at least another 10 years due to ongoing renovation work.

The museum, located on Berlin’s Museum Island—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—is expected to resume full operations by 2037.

Source: Hürriyet

Photo: DPA