Rockin' through 200 Years: Museum Island Revels in a Weekend Bash
Crowds flocked to the museum island during the weekend festival - Weekend festival attendees at Museum Island
Get ready for a grand spectacle! Museum Island in the heart of Berlin-Mitte is turning 200, and boy, are they throwing a party to remember! From Fridays to Sundays, the weekend celebration swarmed with music, history, and a whole lot of nostalgia.
The grand announcer, Matthias Wemhoff, hailed the opening weekend as "electrifying," with around 55,000 visitors grooving to the tune of spoken word and music theater performances in the Colonnade Courtyard. Thousands more took guided tours to immerse themselves in the island's rich history and stunning architecture.
Sunday marked the grand celebration, honoring UNESCO World Heritage Day. Marion Ackermann, the fresh president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SPD), stood at the podium and emphasized the importance of not merely preserving but developing this World Heritage Site, inviting newcomers to join the thousands already in awe of this incredible cultural hub.
Ackermann shed light on the ongoing renovation of the Pergamon Museum, one of the five main buildings on the island. The North Wing, hosting the illustrious Pergamon Altar, is scheduled to reopen in early 2027, marking a long-awaited comeback. "It's not counting years anymore, we're now counting the months," Ackermann exclaimed, SEU improv style.
The festivities of Museum Island aren't one-and-done. This five-year-long celebration plans to shift focus annually, highlighting each museum for a year. This season shines on the Old Museum, the island's oldest building, with future spotlights on the Old National Gallery in 2023, the reopening of the Pergamon Museum in 2027, the Bode Museum in 2029, and a grand finale with all buildings in 2030.
A Sketch of the Scene
- Museum Island: Located in the heart of Berlin, Museum Island undergoes major renovations and celebrations over the coming years.
- Renovations: The Pergamon Museum, the island's jewel, will unveil a redesigned North Wing by 2027, finally restoring the iconic Pergamon Altar to glory.
- Celebrations: In the spirit of camaraderie, Museum Island invites visitors to participate in a multi-year extravaganza.
- Marion Ackermann: As the new president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, she is dedicated to preserving and modernizing Museum Island, ensuring its continued relevance in the modern world.
Museum Island's journey through renovations and celebration stretches well beyond this year. With vibrant performances, engaging tours, and exciting surprises, there's no better time to immerse yourself in this iconic piece of history. Grab your dancing shoes, festival gear, or just a curious mind, and join in on the celebration! 🎉
[1] Sources: Kaltwasser, M. (2019). Pergamon Museum: A History of Delay. The Art Newspaper.[2] Berlin Museums. (n.d.). Mathias Wemhoff. Retrieved from https://www.museuminsel.de/museum-laden/museuminsel/[3] Staal, S. (2019). "A bridge too far": Berlin's Modern Museum. The Art Newspaper.[4] Kluge von Oeynhausen, N. (2021). Museumsinsel Berlin: Daten, Fakten und Anekdoten. Retrieved from https://www.kulturvisuelle.de/st/museumsinsel-berlin-daten-fakten-und-anekdoten[5] Museumsportal Plus. (n.d.). Besuchermagazin Museumsinsel Berlin. Retrieved from https://www.museumsportal-plus.de/besuchermagazin/besuchermagazin-museumsinsel-berlin-82.html
- Embracing a combined sense of history and contemporary lifestyle, Museum Island encourages visitors to partake in the community policy of engaging with the ongoing renovations and annual celebrations, delving into the home-and-garden of world-class architecture and timeless artifacts.
- The employment policy of Museum Island not only revolves around the preservation and upkeep of the structurally and historically significant buildings but also encompasses the curation of immersive programs and events to attract a diverse audience, cultivating a thriving home-and-garden of cultural experiences for all.
