In May 2010, the Kaisersaal on the second floor of the Museum für Fotografie was reopened after major renovation and redesign. Based on the designs of Kahlfeldt Architekten, a spacious exhibition hall was created that meets all the requirements for the modern presentation of photography. Since its opening in 2004, the Museum für Fotografie has established itself as a central, integrative gateway for photography at the Staatliche Museen in Berlin. With exhibitions ranging from 19th-century travel photography to contemporary photo installations, it has positioned itself in the photography scene, a specialist library has been established, and conferences and lecture series have been organised.

The symposium "Photography at the Museum" was held in Berlin in preparation for the reopening. It discussed the development of photographic collections in Berlin in the European context to situate the Museum für Fotografie in the network of major photography museums and collections. Colleagues from German and European institutions presented the work of their institutions.

Particular attention was paid to institutions that had been reestablished or realigned themselves since 1999. The debate focused on urgent questions surrounding photography at the end of its analog presentation: Which photographs are collected and preserved? And how are they researched and offered to the public?

The presentations and discussions held at the conference can be downloaded (partly only in German).

An event generously supported by the Verein der Freunde des Museums für Fotografie.