Neues Museum

Construction followed the Neo-classical style common to the other museums on the island. It commenced in 1841 and continued through 1855 under the planning and direction of Friedrich August Stuhler. The first two years were spent preparing the ground for the foundation which consisted of 2344 wooden piles driven deep into the soft earth on the island. It was the first major building project in Berlin to make use of a steam engine during construction, a significant step in the early days of industrialization.

The museum was shut down at the beginning of World War II and was subjected to heavy damage during the bombing of Berlin. The ruins were left unattended under the Soviet occupation of East Berlin during the post-war period.

There was no talk of restoring it until 1985. Some reconstruction work began in 1986 under the East German government but was halted upon the reunification of Germany. Further plans were initiated under the new government starting in 1997 and famous British architect David Chipperfield was put in charge of the project. Extensive reconstruction began again in 2003 and the new Museum finally reopened to the public again in 2009. Some construction work continued through to 2015.

Once inside the Neues Museum, Visitors are presented with over 9000 historical artifacts displayed over three floors. Exhibits include the Papyrus Collection, archaeological collections of the Egyptian Museum, the Museum of Pre and Early history, and works from the Collection of Classical Antiquities.

The renowned bust of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti is popular with visitors.

The oldest artifact is an axe head from the Stone Age, estimated to be about 700,000 years old.

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