Bode Museum Scheduled to Re-open in October 2006

Extensive renovations of the Bode Museum are expected to be completed by October 2006, when the famous museum will once again open its doors with its permanent exhibitions.

The museum features Byzantine art, Germany's largest sculpture exhibit, ancient coin collections and a children's gallery.

Originally built from 1897 - 1904, the Neo-baroque Bode Museum was heavily damaged during WWII, suffering neglect under East German rule.

Renovations first began in 1997 as part of the larger Euro 1.5 billion master plan restoration of Museum Island, which has the distinction of being named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Following the re-opening of the Old National Gallery in 2001, the re-opening of the Bode Museum will mark the second major milestone in the completion of the restoration of Museum Island's five museums.

(Courtesy of Berlin Tourism)

The World Heritage Center describes this UNESCO World Heritage Site in Berlin, Germany as follows:

The museum as a social phenomenon owes its origins to the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century. The five museums on the Museumsinsel in Berlin, built between 1824 and 1930, are the realization of a visionary project and show the evolution of approaches to museum design over the course of the 20th century. Each museum was designed so as to establish an organic connection with the art it houses. The importance of the museum's collections - which trace the development of civilizations throughout the ages - is enhanced by the urban and architectural quality of the buildings.