Skulpturensammlung und Museum für Byzantinische Kunst, Art museum in Museum Island, Berlin, Germany
The Skulpturensammlung und Museum fur Byzantinische Kunst is a museum on Museum Island in Berlin-Mitte that houses an extensive collection of sculptures and Byzantine art from the third to the fifteenth century. The displays include sarcophagi, ivory carvings, and various artworks spanning multiple periods and cultures.
The museum was founded between 1897 and 1904 by Wilhelm von Bode and was initially called Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum before receiving its current name. This renaming reflected a shift in emphasis toward the institution's most important collection areas.
The collection features works by artists from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain, including pieces by Donatello, Tilman Riemenschneider, and Bernini. These creations show how sculptors and craftspeople across different regions influenced each other's artistic traditions.
The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday and offers guided tours in multiple languages. Children and teenagers under 18 have free admission, while adults need to purchase an entrance ticket.
The collection holds late antique Roman sarcophagi and artifacts from Egypt preserved through desert conditions, including rare wooden and fabric items. These organic materials rarely survive so completely in Europe, offering insights into the daily life of ancient cultures.
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