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Home , Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin Museum, Bode Museum, James Simon Gallery, Museum Island, Neues Museum

10 The Times October 2019 IMAGO/IMAGEBROKER

Everything is illuminated: the

play. Those plans were met with BY NICOLA KUHN a hail of protest, however, and Island mentality the Gipsformerei exhibition was t is the cornerstone of Berlin’s postponed until September. And Island. But what may while the name of the great Jewish Isound like a dotting of the “i” The James Simon Gallery has finally opened its doors patron is now also inscribed on in “island” is in reality an imposing the wall, it hasn’t 10,900-square-meter edifice that, always been smooth sailing for the after 180 years, has now brought man himself: the bronze plaque the final touches to a unique archi- The building’s massiveness and IV in 1841 that the location be used tion that he was now permitted to tion of the some of the construc- dedicated to his legacy was hung tectural ensemble in the center of minimalist severity clash strongly for the creation of a "sanctuary for leave an outwardly visible mark on tion work. The opening in the only belatedly at the entrance wall. the city. The James Simon Gal- with the neighboring art and science." And thus, a Prus- Museum Island. summer of 2019 finally took place Born into a wealthy textile lery – the new entrance building Museum, and even obscures the sian acropolis with five art tem- The architect himself speaks of after a seven-year delay, by which dynasty in Berlin, Simon was for Museum Island – is the sixth . The elevated ples soon rose up on the ancient working through a “wish list” for point costs had almost doubled to actively engaged in a number of and final element in the ensem- ground level, appended at a very trading site, directly alongside the the James Simon Gallery that was €134 million. social causes and worked to pro- ble, complementing the Altes late stage with two windows university that had been founded provided to him by the Prussian Today, most visitors entering the mote education. Passionate about Museum, Neues Museum, Bode aimed at breaking up the sleek sur- 20 years prior. Today, the acropo- Cultural Heritage Foundation. First James Simon Gallery will remain art, he also went on to donate Museum, and face, drops abruptly to the water lis houses Berlin’s archaeological of all, the building had to fulfill a blissfully unaware of the pains of extensive and significant collec- the . surrounding Museum Island. By collections, and 19th- range of specific functions, with an its birth. The only remnant can tions to ’s royal . The construction, which took contrast, the pillars of the col- century . emphasis on channeling the flow of be found in the furthest corner: But James Simon became place on the area’s only remaining onnade rising up from this level Any exuberance over the com- visitors. To this end, it accommo- a mighty tree trunk – a relic from famous above all as the person soil, is intended to serve as a cen- appear like a line of quills, even pletion of the ensemble with the dates the ticket offices, cloakrooms, the time of , who donated the bust tral connecting point for visitors, when set against the towering pil- opening of the Pergamon Museum a shop, and the counter for audio Museum Island’s original master to the Berlin museums. As a co- of which there were 2.5 million in lars at the front of the Pergamon in 1930 did not last long. The out- guides. In addition, it is now possi- architect – pulled from the ground founder of the German Orien- 2018. The new building houses Museum. And yet, by referencing break of war soon necessitated the ble to enter the Pergamon Museum in the course of construction. tal Society (DOG), he financed ticket offices, cloakrooms, toilets, the classicist 19th-century colon- shutting down of what had taken and the Neues Museum from the Before visitors can reach this numerous excavations, including a shop, restaurant, lecture hall nade, and by extending these opti- over a century to build, each build- James Simon Gallery. point, they must first climb a stair- in , where the bust was and spaces for special exhibitions cally into the present, the building ing in its own style. The damage This site was also meant to house case to the building (or take the salvaged in 1912. Eight years later, and events. manages to blend in. caused in World War II was so the entrance to the Archaeological elevator), as most of the building he bequeathed the bust to the The James Simon Gallery, The James Simon Gallery is the great, and its repair so difficult, that Promenade, an underground pas- consists of human thoroughfares. Berlin museums. James Simon designed by British architect Sir final new building on Museum it was not until 1989, the year of the sage connecting the , A restaurant with a terrace over- sought to give people access to , is also a signal Island and, as such, was obliged fall of the Wall, that the foundation Neues Museum, Pergamon looking the Kupfergraben is on the art, and he gave generously. A for the new 21st-century era: a to speak with the clear voice of for the restoration of the Neues Museum and , but upper floor. liberal supporter of the resolutely modern architecture modernity. No new buildings had Museum was finally laid. Up until with funds not yet granted, this has Other facilities include an audi- Republic, Simon died in 1932 and which, with its slender white pil- been added to the site since the very recently, the soot-covered yet to become a reality. torium for 300 people and a venue was buried with full honors at the lars as its defining feature, seeks to opening of the Pergamon Museum three-quarter ruin was a physical On the huge construction site for special exhibitions with around Jewish cemetery on Schönhauser build a bridge to the surrounding in 1930. Instead, efforts since then witness to the destruction of the that is Museum Island, commis- 650 square meters of space. In the Allee. The Nazis’ reign of terror buildings that likewise feature col- had focused on the painstaking wartime bombing. sions are completed only gradu- weeks following the opening, this would begin just one year later. umns, pillars and pilaster strips as repair of war damage. During the David Chipperfield was com- ally. It is currently the Pergamon’s was host to an exhibition honor- That Berlin’s museum portal now architectural forms. Nevertheless, GDR era, attempts were made, missioned as the architect for the turn to undergo renovation. In the ing the building’s namesake, James carries the name of James Simon is for anyone approaching Museum for better or worse, to conserve sensitive restoration of the Neues case of the James Simon Gallery, Simon, the art collector, philan- a symbol of – and a belated gesture Island from the Kupfergraben something of the remaining struc- Museum, and he later went on to problems arose during the course thropist and patron of the arts of gratitude for – his great work canal or , the first tures, with the long-term dream win the tender for the construc- of construction, resulting in an born in 1851. and impressive life. perceptions of this bright white of creating the most beautiful of tion of the James Simon Gallery. inevitable increase in costs. The This recognition was almost building, which achieves its light showcases for Berlin’s vast collec- For Chipperfield, whose work at foundations submerged in water sidelined due to plans by the Gips- Nicola Kuhn is the Arts materiality from concrete mixed tion of art and cultural artifacts. the Neues Museum had focused proved extremely complicated to formerei (Replica Workshop) to Editor for the Berlin daily with marble dust, will be of a for- The Island dates back to a decree primarily on reconstruction, this implement, and difficulties were stage an exhibition in the space as Der Tagesspiegel. eign object. issued by King Friedrich Wilhelm must have served as confirma- compounded by the shoddy execu- part of their own anniversary dis-