Egyptian Museum of Berlin facts for kids

The Egyptian Museum of Berlin (called Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung in German) is a very important museum in Berlin, Germany. It holds one of the world's best collections of items from ancient Egypt. Its most famous treasure is the amazing Nefertiti Bust. Since 1855, this collection has been part of the Neues Museum on Berlin's Museum Island. The Neues Museum reopened in 2009 after being fixed up.

A Look Back: The Museum's Story

How It All Started

The Egyptian courtyard at the Neues Museum, shown in a drawing from 1862.

The museum began way back in the 1700s. It grew from the art collection of the kings of Prussia, who were called the Hohenzollern family. A famous explorer named Alexander von Humboldt suggested that a special Egyptian section should be made. So, in 1828, the first ancient Egyptian objects arrived in Berlin, thanks to King Friedrich Wilhelm III.

At first, these items were kept in Monbijou Palace. The first person in charge was Giuseppe Passalacqua, a merchant from Trieste. His large collection became the main part of the museum. Later, from 1842 to 1845, a Prussian trip to Egypt and Nubia, led by Karl Richard Lepsius, brought even more ancient pieces to Berlin.

Moving to the Neues Museum

In 1850, the collections moved to their current home in the Neues Museum. This building was designed by Friedrich August Stüler. The famous Nefertiti Bust was found during digs by Ludwig Borchardt in Amarna. An entrepreneur named Henri James Simon gave it to the museum in 1920. It quickly became the museum's most well-known item.

After World War II

After World War II, the Neues Museum was badly damaged. The museum's collections were then split between East Berlin and West Berlin. The main part stayed in East Berlin and was shown at the Bode Museum. The items that had been moved to West Germany, including the Nefertiti Bust, went back to West Berlin. From 1967 to 2005, these items were displayed near Charlottenburg Palace.

After Germany became one country again, the whole collection was brought back together. It returned to Museum Island where it is today.

What You Can See: The Collection

The museum's collection includes items from many different times. These range from about 4000 BC (the time before the pharaohs) all the way to the time when Rome ruled Egypt. However, most of the items are from the time of Akhenaten, around 1340 BC.

The most famous piece is the incredibly well-preserved and brightly colored bust of Queen Nefertiti. The collection moved from Charlottenburg to the Altes Museum in 2005. Then, in October 2009, it found its new home in the rebuilt Neues Museum on Berlin's Museum Island.

Gallery

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  The Kalabsha Gate, from the Temple of Kalabsha. It was given to the museum to help save ancient monuments.

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  A figure of a girl with a cat and a standing figure of a young woman. These are from the 18th Dynasty (around 1380 BC) and 19th Dynasty.

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  The head of a statue of King Ptolemaios X, who ruled from 110–88 BC.

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  A head of an Amarna Princess.

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  A relief portrait of Akhenaten.

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  Tai-tai, the Priest. From the New Kingdom, Eighteenth Dynasty, 1380 BC.

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  Akhenaten and Nefertiti with their children. From the Amarna Period, 1350 BC.

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  Queen Tiye, from the Amarna Period, 1355 BC.

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  The "Berlin Green Head", from 100-50 BC.

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  A statue of Amenemhat III.

See also

• List of museums of Egyptian antiquities
• In Spanish: Museo Egipcio de Berlín para niños