James Simon Gallery, Museum entrance building at Museum Island, Germany
The James Simon Gallery is a museum entrance building on Museum Island in Berlin that connects different museum sections together. The structure features white concrete columns and glass facades that create a bright, open feeling throughout the space.
The building was constructed on the site of the Packhof, a storage house designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel that was demolished in 1938. The new structure was meant to fill this gap and improve the museum facilities on the island.
The gallery takes its name from Henri James Simon, a German art collector whose donations strengthened the Berlin State Museums. Today, visitors see this space functioning as a central meeting point for those exploring the Museum Island.
The visit is worthwhile because you can access all the island's museums from here, as the building sits in a central location. Inside you'll find ticket counters, information centers, shops, and restaurants, everything needed for a full day of museum exploring.
The building is supported by 70 slender concrete columns that are only 30 centimeters thick yet reach about 9 meters high. This unusual proportion creates an elegant balance between modern lightness and classical architecture.
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