Taking pride of place on Museum Island next to the Berliner Dom and across the road from Schlossplatz, the former home of the Royal Palace, is the neo-classical façade of Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s 1829 Altes Museum, the oldest museum in Berlin and home to the city’s collection of classical antiquities.
When it was first founded in 1829, there was a great deal of discussion about what Berlin’s first museum should be called, and so the greatest minds of the city were brought together, and after protracted discussion and heated debate, including a couple of fist fights, it was eventually decided that it should be called Der Museum (The Museum)! In 1855, when a second museum was founded, the great minds were gathered once more and after protracted discussion, no heated debate this time, it was decided that they should be called Altes Museum (Old Museum) and Neue Museum (New Museum) respectively. The latter is currently closed for refurbishment, but the former is open and is well worth a visit.
Out front of the Altes Museum stands the Rose Bowl a giant bowl carved out of a single piece of stone by Berlin artisans to act as a centerpiece for the giant atrium Schinkel had designed for the heart of the building. Unfortunately upon completion, it was found that it didn’t fit through the door, and so it found its home out front where the locals dubbed it The Eighth Wonder of the World, thus demonstrating that they didn’t get out much. Schinkel’s atrium thus remains thankfully uncentered and is instead home to the pantheon of Roman gods, in marble statue for at least, set amidst Schinkel’s ornate backdrop creating an awe inspiring set-piece for Berlin’s extensive collection of Greek and Roman antiquities.
The collection is laid out in roughly chronological order and the hour-long, English audio guide leads you through the development of classical art by highlighting the key displays, such as the famous Praying Boy statuette and the painted pottery works of the craftsman who has become known simply as the Berlin artist. An hour of additional audio material together with the computer info points allows you to further explore some key themes such as gods, heroes, and sports.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm; entrance is included in the €20 museum card that will get you in to all the museums that are currently open on Museum Island, and is well worth an hour or two of your time.