Neues Museum

The Neues Museum, meaning “New Museum,” is one of the leading museums in Berlin, Germany, and is located to the north of the Altes Museum or “Old Museum” in an area called Museum Island.

It was built between 1843 and 1855 and was heavily damaged during the bombing of Berlin. Following the museum’s rebuilding, it reopened in 2009 and testifies the neoclassical architecture of museums in the 19th-century.

Exhibits include the Egyptian and Prehistory and Early History collections, as it did before the war. The artifacts it houses include the iconic bust of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti.

A Virtual Tour of the Neues Museum

Nefertiti Bust
Standing Figure of Nefertiti
Akhenaten and Nefertiti with their Children
Relief Portrait of Akhenaten
Priam’s Treasure Necklace
Treasure from Troy
Masterpieces of the Neues Museum

Highlights of the Neues Museum

Nefertiti Bust

The “Nefertiti Bust” is the Neues Museum’s best-known masterpiece. Nefertiti was the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten and Egypt’s Queen during 1370 B.C.-1330 B.C.

The statue is renowned for the skill of the sculptor Thutmose, the well-preserved coloring, and the beauty of Nefertiti herself.

The bust is a painted stucco-coated limestone work, believed to have been crafted in 1345 B.C. by the sculptor Thutmose, because it was found in his workshop in Amarna, Egypt.

It is one of the most copied works of ancient Egypt. As a result, Nefertiti has become one of the most famous women of the ancient world and an icon of feminine beauty.

Standing Figure of Nefertiti

The “Standing Figure of Nefertiti” is a limestone sculpture of Queen Nefertiti, who was the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten and Egypt’s Queen during 1370 B.C.-1330 B.C.

The name Nefertiti means “the beautiful one has cometh forth.” As the Great Royal Wife, she was the chief consort of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt.

Dating from the year 1350 BC, the 40 cm high limestone statue is one of the outstanding surviving representations of the Queen, who has a unique role in the history of Ancient Egypt.

The figure was found broken and in multiple pieces. The statue pieces were discovered in 1920 during an excavation by the German Oriental Society in remains of the studio of Thutmose.

Akhenaten and Nefertiti with their Children

“Akhenaten and Nefertiti with their Children” is a small house shrine stele made of limestone. Akhenaton and Nefertiti are shown with the three of their daughters.

Nefertiti was the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. The body forms are depicted in relief, the overlong proportions, wide hips, thin legs, and the forwardly curved necks, are typical of the early Amarna artistic style.

Probably used as a home altar, this historic depiction provides a rare opportunity to view a scene from the private life of the king and queen.

The daughters are being held and caressed by their parents in the presence of their god Aten. Aten is in the center of the scene represented as a sun disc with sunrays ending in hands proffering ‘ank’-signs (life-signs) to the royal couple.

Relief Portrait of Akhenaten

This “Relief Portrait of Akhenaten” depicts Pharaoh Akhenaten, previously known as Amenhotep IV, who was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty.

The ‘excessive’ style at the beginning of the Amarna period is evident with this “Relief Portrait of Akhenaten.” The thin face, heavy narrow eyelids, slanting eyes, long, hanging chin, long nose, full lips, as well as the forwardly curved neck.

All of which is characteristic of the early representations of King Akhenaton. The skin folds that run from the side of the nose to the corners of the mouth.

Also, the folds on the neck are typical of the Amarna style. The artist has expertly captured the contrast of soft forms against the sharp contours of the face.

Priam’s Treasure Necklace

Priam’s Treasure Necklace is part of what became called the “Treasure of Priam” discovered in the ancient site of Troy, which is located in modern-day Turkey.

Ancient Troy was the setting of the Trojan War described in the Greek Epic Cycle, in particular in the Iliad, one of the epic poems by Homer.“

Priam’s Treasure” is a cache of gold and other artifacts discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in 1873.

The objects are spread across multiple museums, including Pushkin Museum, Moscow, Russia, Neues Museum, Berlin, Germany, and Istanbul Archaeology Museum, Istanbul, Turkey

Treasure from Troy

This “Treasure from Troy” is part of what became called the “Treasure of Priam” discovered in the ancient site of Troy, which is in modern-day Turkey.

Ancient Troy was the setting of the Trojan War described in the Iliad, one of the epic poems by Homer. “Priam’s Treasure” was a cache of jewelry, gold, copper, terracotta and other ancient artifacts discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in 1873.

Museum: Neues Museum
City: Berlin
Established: 1855
Type: Egyptian and Prehistory and Early History collections
Address: Bodestraße 1-3, 10178 Berlin, Germany