09.03.2026
Pergamonmuseum
A pop-up exhibition at the James Simon Gallery is currently fueling anticipation for the reopening of the Pergamon Museum in 2027. Photographer Alexander Schippel has documented the museum's renovation and captured unusual views of famous objects and rooms.
In 2027, the Pergamon Museum will reopen after extensive renovation. The Pergamon Altar and other objects from the Collection of Classical Antiquities and the Museum of Islamic Art will then be accessible to the public again. Photographer Alexander Schippel has been documenting the renovation and has captured unique architectural snapshots behind the scenes—five large-format works are on display on the upper floor of the James Simon Gallery until March 15, 2026. Among the objects Schippel has photographed are the East Frieze of the Pergamon Altar, the reconstructed West Front, the Great Frieze, and objects in the Hellenistic Hall.
Alexander Schippel, born in Berlin in 1979, completed his photography training at the Free University of Berlin. His focus is on architectural photography, which he implements in digital medium format with impressive results and astonishing depth of detail. He has photographed the renovation of the Berlin State Opera (2010–2018), the State Library on Unter den Linden (2011–2020), the Komische Oper (since 2024), and the Bauhaus Archive (since 2019), among others, and has published several of his own illustrated books.
He began his work at the Pergamon Museum in 2013. In addition to documentation, he is particularly interested in moments when the transformation of the building becomes visible. “The renovation of such a building fascinates me because the transitional states in which the rooms find themselves develop their own unique aesthetic,” says the photographer.
After 80 years of museum operation, the Pergamon Museum, which opened in 1930, was in urgent need of renovation. In addition to repairing damage caused by age, the project also involved technical modernization and the renewal of the collection presentations. The objects and areas that will be open to the public again from spring 2027 include the Pergamon Altar and the Hellenistic Hall in the north wing, as well as the Alhambra Dome, the Aleppo Room, and the Mshatta Facade of a Jordanian desert palace in the central section of the building. The Museum of the Ancient Near East will also be represented with an interim selection of its important objects in the Schlütersaal.