Museumsinsel (Museum Island)

The Museumsinsel (Museum Island) is a not-to-be-missed complex of five world-class museums on an island in the Spree River. Conceived by King Friedrich Wilhelm III in the early 1800s and damaged during World War II, the Museumsinsel was designated a World Heritage Site in 1999. The five museums are the Altes and Neues Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Pergamon Museum and the Bode Museum. A massive $1.5 billion renovation has already transformed the Museumsinsel into an extraordinary art destination.

The Pergamon is the jewel of the complex, with one-of-a-kind Greek and Babylonian structures, including the famous Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate (unfortunately, the rooms of the Pergamon Altar are closed currently until 2019). The Neues Museum, which was beautifully re-envisioned by architect David Chipperfield, houses the famous Egyptian bust of Queen Nefertiti. The Bode Museum, meanwhile, has a collection of 1,700 sculptures, as well as Coptic art; and the Altes Museum has another stunning antiquities collection. It’s impossible to do all five in one day and even if you narrow it down (most people do the Pergamon and Neues museums on a first visit), it’s best to go with a guide who can put the incredible collections into their historical context.

Indagare members should contact Indagare for an introduction to a great art guiding company.