Green light for new building on Berlin's Museum Island: James Simon Gallery provides hospitality, orientation and information for visitors
Press release from 11/09/2006
The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation welcomes with pleasure the decision of the Federal Government, which has been the sole financier of the renovation and restoration of the Museum Island since 2003, to begin the new construction of the James Simon Gallery (New Entrance Building) there now and not only after the renovation of the historic building fabric.
This can be seen as a breakthrough in the realisation of the master plan adopted in 1999. In view of the constantly increasing number of visitors to the island, this is a decision in favour of the future viability of the Unesco World Heritage Site. Once the masterplan has been completed, 13,000 visitors are expected to visit the Museum Island every day. Attractive cafés, restaurants, areas for resting and relaxing - all these offerings will increase the quality of the site and cater to the leisure behaviour of museum visitors, but can also open up further sources of income for the foundation. Above all, however, it is intended to be a central point of orientation where visitors can first find out about the collections before starting their journey through the buildings. There will also be rooms for temporary exhibitions, lectures and media presentations. As envisaged in the masterplan, the new building will relieve the pressure on the historic museum buildings, which are reserved entirely for the presentation of the collections. It is to bear the name of James Simon, the great patron and supporter of the Berlin museums, who made them world-famous through his donations.
The President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Klaus-Dieter Lehmann, explains: "I am happy and grateful about the decision at this time. It means we are opening up to the world and not encapsulating ourselves behind Prussian temple walls. The James Simon Gallery will create the stimulating, informative and welcoming atmosphere that visitors rightly expect from Europe's largest museum complex. The splendid opening of the Bode Museum in mid-October, which was met with great acclaim from the public and the media, has clearly demonstrated the potential of this globally unique venue for the presentation of European art and culture and has made a lasting impact far beyond Germany's borders."