The foundations of the Pergamon Museum in Berlin have never been renovated since 1930 and today there is an urgent need for work. The site will remain closed to the public for 14 years starting Monday.
To have a chance to visit the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, it was better to plan ahead. For several weeks, no tickets were available and for good reason, this museum, the most visited in the German capital, closed its doors on Monday October 23 and for 14 years. This establishment, which welcomes more than a million visitors per year, must undergo major renovation work.
Renowned for the wealth of ancient works it presents, this site is located on Berlin’s Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In recent months, the announcement of the closure has attracted Berliners and tourists in large numbers. Jérémy, his wife and their two children aged 6 and 10 booked in September to have places on Sunday October 22, the day before closing.
“I came from Paris, explains this father. Because I absolutely wanted to introduce my children to the museum before they were 25. I have temples in mind, things I saw when I was a child and that I really wanted to see again before it closed.”.
:quality(50)/2023/10/23/musee-2-65368f76c0fd0743232351.jpg)
Inaugurated in 1930, the museum has never undergone a thorough renovation. Over time and under the weight of the monuments, some of which weigh more than 12 tons, the foundations have suffered. The work therefore became urgent, according to Barbara Helwingone of the directors of the museum: “We already had to close half of a wing for two years because of water infiltration and then we closed the other half because of the vibrations of the building”.
“If nothing happens, at some point we will no longer be able to guarantee the security of the objects.”
Barbara Helwing, one of the directors of the Pergamon Museumat franceinfo
The famous Ishtar Gate and the monumental Pergamon Hotel, two of the museum’s jewels, will therefore remain invisible for many years. What Jens, one of the last visitors, regrets. “It’s a real shame. The whole world is coming here to see this and in 15 years it will be too late for older people. It’s too long.”, he regrets. A virtual exhibition will soon present the museum’s works. Some pieces will also be loaned to other establishments, in Berlin and abroad.