Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin, Archaeological museum in Museum Island, Berlin, Germany
The Vorderasiatisches Museum is an archaeological museum on Museum Island that houses artifacts from ancient Mesopotamia and neighboring regions. It displays works from Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian periods including monuments, sculptures, and thousands of clay tablets with cuneiform writing.
The museum was established in 1899 and opened to the public in 1930, following archaeological excavations in Mesopotamia. Its collection grew through scientific expeditions to Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, bringing new knowledge about early civilizations.
The collection shows how people in the ancient Near East built their societies and expressed themselves through art, writing, and daily objects. Visitors can see the tools, vessels, and symbols that shaped these early civilizations.
The museum is located on Museum Island, where several museums sit close together and are easily accessible. Visitors should allow plenty of time to explore the extensive collection, as renovation work is currently underway.
The collection contains ancient written documents, including several hundred letters known as the Amarna correspondence, which reveal how rulers of different lands communicated with each other. These messages show negotiations between powerful kings about trade, alliances, and disputes from thousands of years ago.
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