The new National Gallery in Berlin reopens after years

After years of renovation behind closed doors, Berlin’s new National Gallery is once again part of the German Museum’s landscape. The iconic building of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) reopened today with a celebration. The architect created the stunning glass and steel structure at the end of the 1960s as a museum of 20th century art.

German Culture Minister Monika Grotters (CDU) spoke of “a charming return as a place of pilgrimage for lovers of modern art and as a theater for contemporary artists”.

Renovated with 140 million euros

The team of star British architect David Chipperfield completely renovated the museum from 2016 onwards and overhauled it for €140 million. “Our job was to revitalize the spirit of the building,” Chipperfield said.

Renovations remain invisible “as long as we make no mistake”. “The dreamy building will be preserved even after the renovation,” says Joachim Jäger, director of Neue Nationalgalerie.

Three exhibitions at the opening

The Neue Nationalgalerie opens its doors to the public tomorrow with three galleries. With “Community Art 1900-1945,” a permanent exhibition featuring major works from the Nationalgalerie’s collection of nearly 1,800 works will attract visitors through July 2023.

In the main hall of the exhibition “Alexander Calder. The work of the American sculptor “Minimal / Maximal” can be viewed until February 13. Calder (1898–1976) is also associated with the building through his work “Tetes et Queue” from 1965, which was constructed to open the Mies Building and can be found again on the Museum balcony. With “Rosa Barba. In a Perpetual Now” is the third exhibition dedicated to the artist in Berlin.