Home to some 540,000 objects, the Münzkabinett is the largest institution of its kind in Germany. This year, the Münzkabinett is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its establishment as an independent museum. However, the history of the Münzkabinett stretches right back to the beginnings of the princely collections on the Spree, with curators such as Lorenz Beger (1653–1705) having left their marks on the history of numismatics.

The Münzkabinett’s rise to one of the world’s most important numismatic collections was intimately connected with its first director Julius Friedländer (1813–1884) and the path he embarked upon in the second half of the nineteenth century. The fate of Berlin and its dramatic history is mirrored in the miniature world of the Münzkabinett.

The exhibition accompanying the anniversary celebrations will shine a spotlight on the individuals connected with the Münzkabinett throughout its history, as collectors, dealers, numismatic researchers, and patrons.