A Political History of Berlin's Museum Island - Museum Tours Led by Elsa Neumann Fellows

Foto: wal_172619 auf Pixabay

The complex of buildings and the associated collections of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin on Berlin’s Museum Island are now experiencing their fifth form of governance. Each of these political and social systems has taken a different approach to the cultural heritage preserved there. Using examples from architecture, the repair of war damage, changing exhibition practices, and the varying approaches of different cultural policies, archaeologist, historian and former Elsa Neumann scholar Christopher Hölzel will discuss the differences and similarities in the role of museums across different societies.

Date: September 24th, 2026, 4:00pm
Meeting place: In front of the Altes Museum
Duration: approx. 90 minutes
Registration: nafoeg-stipendium@drs.fu-berlin.de

Elsa Goes to the Museum is a series of events in which doctoral fellows from the Elsa Neumann Program lead tours through Berlin museums and provide insights into their research. The tours connect current doctoral projects with the collections, exhibitions, and working methods of the respective institutions. This gives you the chance to take a look behind the scenes at established cultural institutions, learn more about the work of archaeologists, curators, and other experts, and meet other (young) scholars and culture enthusiasts in a relaxed atmosphere. No prior knowledge is required.