Jewish Museum Berlin

Jewish Museum Berlin, German Jüdisches Museum BerlinThe Old Building of the Jewish Museum Berlin.© paul prescott/Shutterstock.commuseum in Berlin showcasing German Jewish cultural history and works of art. The Jewish Museum is among Germany’s most visited museums and commemorates the history of German Jews.

The original Jewish Museum existed from 1933 until 1938, when it was closed by the Gestapo and its works were confiscated. In the 1970s interest in a museum documenting Jewish art and culture grew, and a series of related exhibits eventually led to the planning of the Jewish Museum. Originally conceived as a division of the Berlin Museum, the project expanded, and in 2001 the Jewish Museum opened as an independent museum. In addition to displaying art and relics, the Jewish Museum stresses the cultural, social, and political history of Germany’s Jews. An architectural attraction in itself, the museum comprises two primary structures: the Old Building, which houses the Berlin Museum, and the Libeskind (or New) Building, which houses the Jewish Museum. The Old Building, a fine example of Baroque architecture, was originally built in 1735 and was rebuilt after its destruction in World War II. It serves as the sole entrance to the Jewish Museum and houses temporary exhibitions, event spaces, and a gift shop. The adjoining Libeskind, named for the building’s architect, Daniel Libeskind, can only be reached by means of a descending stairwell in the Old Building.

The Jewish Museum’s atypical zig-zag shape suggests a lightning bolt, and its zinc plating gives the exterior a reflective sheen. The structure’s unique contours and spaces were designed to challenge the viewer’s perceptions while symbolizing the German Jewish experience.