Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin
Collection of ancient Near Eastern cultures with the Ishtar Gate and Processional Way in the Pergamonmuseum; currently closed for renovation.
About the museum
The collection's beginnings go back to the mid-19th century, when Prussia acquired Assyrian reliefs. In 1899 a separate Near Eastern department was established at the Royal Museums. Its holdings grew rapidly through the excavations of the Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft (German Oriental Society), for example in Babylon, Assur and Uruk; at first they were housed in the Neues Museum and the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum.
The new Pergamonmuseum building, begun in 1907, included rooms in the south wing for the ancient Near Eastern finds. The display opened in 1930 and, under Walter Andrae, set new standards with monumental reconstructions such as the Ishtar Gate and the Processional Way of Babylon; further galleries followed until 1937.
In 14 galleries covering about 2,000 square meters, the museum presented six millennia of cultural history of the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Hittites and other cultures from what is now Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran.
The Pergamonmuseum has been closed for a complete renovation since October 2023. When it partially reopens on June 4, 2027, the Vorderasiatisches Museum will show a selection in the north wing, including a “Schaufenster” (showcase) in the Schlütersaal as a foretaste of the future presentation. The south wing with the main holdings is expected to remain closed until 2037.
Highlights
- Ishtar Gate and Processional Way from Babylon
- Throne room facade of Nebuchadnezzar II
- Architectural fragments from Uruk
- Finds from Assur and Hittite reliefs
- Founded
- 1899
- Operated by
- Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz
- Director
- Barbara Helwing
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
By public transit
Museumsinsel
U5 Museumsinsel; S-Bahn Friedrichstraße or Hackescher Markt; tram to Am Kupfergraben or Hackescher Markt; bus to U Museumsinsel.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The Staatliche Museen do not list any parking and recommend arriving by public transport or bike.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | According to the SMB, group bookings for visits from June 2027 onward are to be possible starting July 1, 2026. |
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