Berlin’s museum scene continues to expand and evolve, now encompassing around 180 institutions with frequent new openings and comprehensive renovations.
In 2013 the Tchoban Foundation opened in the renovated Pfefferberg Brewery complex, presenting the foundation’s collection alongside temporary exhibitions from international partners.
The Berlin Magic Museum, which opened in 2014, celebrates the history and culture of magic and illusion. Located in the cellar of a historic former blacksmith’s building, the museum displays roughly 450 objects across about 6,500 square feet of exhibition space.
Upcoming additions include Kunsthaus Dahlem, scheduled for summer 2015, which will showcase Postwar German Modernism from both East and West Germany covering the years 1945 to 1961, as well as the Berlin Spy Museum, which will focus on espionage history—agents, double agents, betrayals and the personal stories behind them.
One of Berlin’s best-known attractions, the Pergamon Museum, which houses three major collections of the National Museums, is closed for extensive renovations and is scheduled to remain shuttered until 2019. The Ishtar Gate, however, continues to be on display for visitors.
The Museum of Decorative Arts reopened in November after three years of renovation work, and the Berlinische Galerie planned to reopen on May 28, 2015, following its own refurbishment.