Eine g… grosse Sau

Berlin Wall at the Mauerpark

Siegessäule

I couldn’t move foward to another topic without posting here some considerations about the museums of Berlin. It happens that this is the European city with more museums than any other in the continent. So to visit some of them is part of any tour when in Berlin.

Of course I haven’t been to all of them, but from the few I have seen I though would be fun to make a short selection and to dedicate to those who will be visiting the city in the next months. Here we go:

1. BEST MUSEUM SHOP: BAUHAUS -ARCHIV

Who didn’t copy Bauhaus designs? Well, in Bauhaus Archiv  Museum you will have the chance to know some of the original sketches, projects and objects that this school-turned-into-movement had created. Nothing as going straight to the source, isn’t it? At the end of the tour you will find the coolest objects to buy from watches to posters in a small shop.

2. BEST PERMANENT COLLECTION: ALTE NATIONALGALERIE AT THE MUSEUM ISLAND

If you are fascinated by 19th Century painting like I am, this is a place for you. The collection started in 1862 with 262 paintings – a present from the banker Joachim Wagener to the Prince Regent of Prussia. Germany wasn’t unified yet, but the Nationalgalerie started not with a state decree but  pushed by a spirit of civic patronage. The main works of the German painter Caspar David Friedrich (my favourite) are there along with paintings of Carus, Schinkel, Monet, Coubert and Rodin.

3. BEST PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION: GUNDLACH AT MARTIN-GROPIUS-BAU MUSEUM

The fashion photographer F. C. Gundlach fairly receives an homage from this museum with a retrospective of all his work. Between 1950’s to 1990’s Gundlach worked for the main fashion magazines in Germany and created an extensive photographic work. With a root on photojournalism, his pictures are honest, real, positive and elegant. It’s also remarkable his portraits of movie stars and film-directors. The exhibition runs until 14th of March.

4. BEST ARCHIVE SURPRISE: HELMUT NEWTON AT MUSEUM FÜR FOTOGRAFIE

The most interesting thing here is the possibility to “jump” inside Helmut Newton’s world. His cameras, his clothes, notebooks, objects used in his shoots and even a car are revealed for the public in a permanent exhibition. Permanent because The Helmut Newton Foundation is based on the Museum Für Fotografie. The main exhibition is showing at the moment the 394 images of the most expansive photography book of all times: “Sumo” by Newton published by Taschen.

More about Berlin here

Photos: Hermano Silva