2016 - News - Detail Page - Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz

Construction work on the second construction phase of the Pergamonmuseum is scheduled to begin in March 2025. The construction measures for the overall completion of the basic restoration and extension of the building include the southern section of the building, the construction of the fourth wing, the connection to the other buildings on Museum Island via the Archaeological Promenade and the redesign of the outdoor facilities. In the preceding months, the conditions for this important further milestone have been created by clearing the museum areas and securing the monumental architectural exhibits.

In the presence of Andreas Görgen, Senior Official at the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), Hermann Parzinger, President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SPK), Petra Wesseler, President of the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR) and the architect Jan Kleihues (Kleihues+Kleihues Architekten), the start of the second construction phase was honoured today with the filling of a time capsule.

Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth: "The Pergamon Museum is one of the most popular museums in Germany. Its legendary altar, the famous Ishtar Gate from Babylon and the many other cultural treasures have attracted millions of visitors from all over the world. The ongoing refurbishment is not just about preserving the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of the capital for future generations. Our aim is also to position the museum in the best possible way for the future and even increase its global appeal - in order to attract an even wider audience. That is why the federal government, as the sole sponsor of the construction costs, is very happy to provide considerable funding for the extensive refurbishment of the Pergamon Museum."

Hermann Parzinger: "Almost one hundred thousand objects have been removed from the south wing of the Pergamonmuseum over the last one and a half years - a tremendous logistical achievement by the museums involved. The BBR can now start work on schedule so that the building can be fully reopened in 2037. However, I am already looking forward to the reopening of the north and centre sections in 2027 with the Pergamon Altar, a completely new permanent exhibition of the Museum of Islamic Art and an interim display window of the Museum of the Ancient Near East, which will thus remain open to Berliners and, of course, all other visitors during the closure period with an exhibition in the former Pergamon Panorama."

Petra Wesseler: "Today's start of construction work on the south wing of the Pergamon Museum marks the beginning of the second stage of this highly complex major project. It fills us at the BBR with pride and joy that we were able to bring the remaining large sculptures of the Pergamon Altar and the Hellenistic Hall through the construction phase undamaged in construction phase A, which is almost complete. In construction phase B, too, the Processional Way, the Ishtar Gate and the Market Gate of Miletus need to be specially secured and protected during the construction phase. Here we can draw on the experience of the first construction phase. The basic refurbishment of the entire Pergamon Museum will make a decisive contribution to the preservation of the UNESCO World Heritage Museum Island, and the new underground development will provide optimal connections for future streams of visitors."

Jan Kleihues: "The Pergamonmuseum represents a weighty promise for the future of Berlin's and the world's museum landscape. It will be an attraction for future generations and, thanks to its timeless and enduring architecture, will certainly still be perceived as an extraordinary place by its visitors in 200 years' time."

The speakers and representatives of the collections then filled a time capsule. In addition to the traditional coins, a daily newspaper and a copy of the World Heritage certificate, there were also special objects: For the Museum of the Ancient Near East, Director Barbara Helwing placed a modern tablet made of baked clay, written in cuneiform, in the time capsule. The translation of the text is based on Sumerian building inscriptions: "For the renovation, the temple administrators of the E-gal (the "Great Temple" here for museum) placed this clay tablet in its foundation as a founding document." This was followed by the Deputy Director of the Collection of Classical Antiquities, Martin Maischberger, with a small brass plaque bearing the inscription "PERGAMOU MUSEION" in Greek letters, the Deputy Director of the Museum of Islamic Art, Martina Müller-Wiener, with a sheet of photos of events at the museum since 1932, and Friederike Seyfried, Director of the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, with a papyrus inscribed in hieroglyphics with an ancient Egyptian founding formula.

In 2019, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation commissioned the BBR with the planning for the second construction phase (construction phase B) and the overall completion of the Pergamonmuseum. Following the closure to visitors at the end of October 2023, work began on clearing the exhibition areas and securing the monumental, permanently installed objects that will remain in the museum during the construction work. At the same time, work began on setting up the construction site outside. All preparatory construction measures were completed on schedule.

The main project, which will now begin in March 2025, comprises the basic restoration of the South Head, the South Wing with the world-famous Processional Way of Babylon and the Ishtar Gate as well as the South Centre Building with the Hall of Miletus. In addition, a fourth wing will be added to the museum, which will enable a closed tour on the main level with the ancient architectural exhibits. As part of the construction project, the connecting buildings from the Pergamon Museum to the Bode Museum, the Neues Museum and the James-Simon-Galerie will also be built as part of the Archaeological Promenade. As part of the overall completion of the Pergamonmuseum, the interim utilisation areas, which will enable the museum to operate in the northern and central parts of the building from 2027, will also be finalised. The outdoor areas around the Pergamonmuseum will be redesigned and the Pergamonsteg, the pedestrian bridge over the Kupfergraben, will be constructed as a new building with a spacious staircase and two barrier-free lifts.

In order to improve the building's environmental footprint, photovoltaic modules were planned for the glass roof of the south wing and the roof surface of the fourth wing. The requirements of the federal government's energy efficiency specifications (EEFB) 2021 are met. The target value for existing buildings Efficiency Building Bund 55 (EGB 55) is achieved. In the area of the new, fourth wing, the target value for new buildings Efficiency Building Bund 40 (EGB 40) is also guaranteed.

The basic refurbishment and extension of the Pergamon Museum according to plans by the architect O. M. Ungers, who died in 2007, will be realised in two construction phases. Costs totalling 722.4 million euros are estimated for construction phase B. In addition, costs totalling around 295.6 million euros are forecast for risks and construction price increases during the construction project. The entire construction project is being financed entirely from federal funds. Completion of construction phase B is scheduled for 2036 and the reopening of the entire Pergamonmuseum is planned for 2037. The structural completion of the north wing (construction phase A) and the northern centre section with the unique Pergamon Altar and the Museum of Islamic Art is still planned for 2025. The reopening is planned for spring 2027.

Further information can be found below and at www.bbr.bund.de/pergamonmuseum-bauabschnitt-b

Press material for download:
www.bbr.bund.de/presse

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Pergamon Museum on Berlin's Museum Island is being completely renovated and extended under the direction of the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR). The overall project is divided into two construction phases, which, due to their considerable scope, will be carried out as two separate projects in the periods from 2013 to 2025(construction phase A) and 2023 (start of preparatory construction measures) and 2025 (start of main construction measures) to probably 2036 (construction phase B). The Pergamonmuseum was built according to plans by architect Alfred Messel and opened in 1930. The current construction work is the first basic refurbishment of the building, which now offers the opportunity to sustainably repair the severe damage caused by the war and the backlog of renovation work and to preserve the building for future generations.

The building project for the basic restoration and extension of the Pergamon Museum thus makes a significant contribution to the preservation of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Museum Island.

Construction measures of the basic restoration construction phase B

The south centre building, south wing and south head, which are being renovated as part of the second construction phase, are in an extremely poor condition. This applies in particular to the basement and the attic as well as the foundation and the outer shell (façades and windows) of the building. The main measures for the basic renovation in construction phase B are

• Securing the foundation (scour bridge) and restoring stability
• Sealing and renovation of the exterior walls, windows, glass roofs and skylights
• Renewal of the building technology (lighting technology, ventilation technology, air conditioning, heating and cooling technology, electrical and security technology, building automation)
• Remediation of pollutants
• Upgrading the fire protection system
• Creation of barrier-free accessibility

Construction work to extend the fourth wing

A fundamental reorganisation of the museum's collections is planned. The realisation of the fourth wing, already planned by Messel but never completed, as a connecting building between the north and south wings will create a main tour that will present all of the Pergamon Museum's major architectures in roughly chronological order. The fourth wing will be designed as a "glass showcase" and will connect the head buildings of the north and south wings on the main exhibition level. It will also house the large-scale architecture of the Egyptian Museum, which is currently still on display in the eastern Stüler Building in Berlin-Charlottenburg. In addition, the partial reconstruction of the palace façade of Tell Halaf, which frames another entrance to the Museum of the Ancient Near East, will also be on display there in future.

General conditions on the construction site

The Pergamon Museum construction project is characterised and influenced by extraordinary conditions and uncertainties.

Long project duration

The basic refurbishment and extension of the Pergamonmuseum is a major project with an exceptionally long project duration. As early as the planning stage in 2007, a total duration of 27 years had already been specified. Such long-term projects require constant adjustments and updates to the plans. There is a considerable need for changes to the planning, for example with regard to legal requirements such as fire protection, accessibility, sustainability and energy efficiency. Technical standards also evolve and user requirements change. With very long project durations, there is also an increased likelihood that contractors will change, for example due to cancellations or insolvencies. New contracts in turn have an impact on deadlines and costs.

Building in historic buildings

Both the original construction and the repair of the war-related damage to the Pergamon Museum in the post-war years were rarely carried out in a standardised manner, which is why the existing building is very inhomogeneous. In addition, investigations of the inventory could only be carried out selectively during the planning of the construction project due to the ongoing museum operations. Additional investigations were and are only possible once the building has been vacated. During the construction of construction phase A, significant deviations in the existing building, damage to the building fabric and pollutantswere identified, which necessitated rescheduling and changes. Deviations from the existing structure are also to be expected in construction phase B.

Building with built-in art and cultural artefacts

The Pergamon Museum is characterised by monumental architectural exhibits such as the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus, the Processional Way of Babylon and the Ishtar Gate. These irreplaceable artefacts, most of which are permanently installed, will remain in the building during the construction work. In order to protect them, a particularly careful construction method is required while maintaining very low vibration and settlement limits. The construction work is therefore accompanied by an elaborate monitoring system that determines settlements, deformations and vibrations, sometimes in real time. When the respective alarm value is reached, the construction technology is adjusted if necessary; if the limit value is exceeded, construction work is stopped immediately, the causes are clarified and, in case of doubt, the work processes are rescheduled.

Monument protection and world cultural heritage

The Pergamon Museum construction project is taking place on the UNESCO World Heritage Site Museum Island. The Pergamon Museum is a listed building and the work is being closely coordinated with the Berlin State Monuments Office.

Spatial constraints and logistical requirements

The Pergamon Museum construction site is located in the centre of Berlin's Museum Island. A busy railway line runs just six metres from the north wing. The construction site is bordered by the River Spree to the east and the Kupfergraben to the west. Construction site facilities are only available to a very limited extent. The spatial situation poses an enormous logistical challenge: Storage areas are severely limited and have to be moved depending on the construction phase, vacated by existing companies and allocated to new companies. Crane capacities are also very limited, as there is only room for two cranes instead of the required four. All construction work can only be carried out once storage areas and crane utilisation times have been allocated. Changes to the construction process therefore have a considerable impact.

Project data

Construction phase B (BA B) of the basic refurbishment and extension of the Pergamon Museum

* Status of the costs recognised under budgetary law (price status February 2022) including fees. In addition, funds totalling around 295.6 million have been set aside for risks and construction price increases.

Images for editorial use

Image material for editorial use in connection with the start of construction for construction phase B, basic refurbishment and extension of the Pergamonmuseum. Advertising or other uses and permanent archiving are excluded. The respective source must be cited as photo credits. Download the image: www.bbr.bund.de/presse