Pergamon Museum to Partially Reopen in 2027

Berlin's renowned Pergamon Museum will partially reopen on June 4, 2027, marking a key milestone in a lengthy restoration project that has kept its iconic centerpiece, the Pergamon Altar, hidden from visitors for more than a decade.

The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, which manages many of the city's museums, made the announcement on Monday. The museum, located on the UNESCO-listed Museum Island, has been fully closed to the public since October 2023. The section housing the second-century B.C. Pergamon Altar had been inaccessible since 2014 due to the ongoing conservation work. Built between 197 and 156 B.C. in what is now Bergama, Turkey, the altar features a detailed marble frieze depicting mythological scenes and has long drawn crowds as one of the museum's highlights.

Even after the 2027 reopening, some areas will remain shuttered for continued restoration, including the wing containing Babylon's Ishtar Gate. Officials expect the full museum to resume operations by 2037. The project forms part of a broader effort to revitalize the entire Museum Island complex, a neoclassical ensemble constructed between 1830 and 1930. The site sustained significant damage during...