david chipperfield architects: neues museum, berlin opens

the neues museum by david chipperfield image © staatliche museen zu berlin photo achim kleuker

today the neues museum has been officially reopened. from 17 october, the building will be accessible to the public for the first time in 70 years. built between 1841 and 1859 by the architect friedrich august stüler, extensive bombing during the second world war left the building in ruins, with entire sections missing completely and others severely damaged. few attempts at repair were made after the war, and the structure was left exposed to the elements. in 1997, david chipperfield architects with conservation specialist julian harrap – won the international competition for the rebuilding of the neues museum.

following the design phase, construction started in 2003. in the months after the official handover on 5 march 2009, the egyptian museum and papyrus collection, the museum of pre-and early history as well as some objects of the collection of antiques were installed. together with the famous bust of nerfertiti in the north dome room, the neues museum will display almost 9,000 objects over approximately 8,000 m². the neues museum is one of five projects to have received the BDA preis berlin 2009.

image © staatliche museen zu berlin photo achim kleuker

image © staatliche museen zu berlin photo achim kleuker

image © staatliche museen zu berlin photo achim kleuker

image © staatliche museen zu berlin photo achim kleuker