Parzinger: We are not simply switching off Dahlem
Press release from 01/09/2017
Thousands visit the Ethnological Museum and the Museum of Asian Art last weekend
The President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Hermann Parzinger, has given a positive assessment of the closing weekend for the Ethnological Museum and the Museum of Asian Art in Dahlem. Before both museums close to prepare for the move to the Humboldt Forum, over 5,000 visitors came to see the world-famous collections in the south-west of Berlin. There were special opening hours, guided tours by curators and numerous events such as Japanese tea ceremonies. Parzinger was delighted with the response and emphasised: "The SPK will continue to be present in Dahlem, the National Museums in Berlin are not shutting down the site. Even though the preparations for the move are now entering a new phase and all the space in the Dahlem museums will be needed for this, there will always be opportunities to visit the depots and talk to the curators, and we will prepare special offers for this. Interested members of the public will always have the opportunity to find out directly about the complex preparations for the move and the responsible conservation and scientific work with cultural treasures from all over the world. This will enable attractive new approaches, even if the collections cannot be shown in their current form. In addition, the Museum of European Cultures is currently repositioning itself, seeking close links with local partners and will continue to attract visitors with an attractive exhibition programme. In 2017, the SPK will also present a concept for the future use of the site, which must be science- and culture-based in order to maintain its special appeal."