Lights on for the comeback: Berlin’s Museum Island shines once more for the Festival of Lights

The projection at the Pergamon Museum is already whetting the appetite for its reopening. From 4 June 2027, visitors will once again be able to experience the Pergamon Altar and other Hellenistic architectural features from the Collection of Classical Antiquities, as well as the new permanent exhibition at the Museum of Islamic Art.

Under the festival motto ‘Colours of Love’, the historic colonnades on the Spree side of the Old National Gallery will serve as a backdrop for colourful projections. At the Pergamon Museum’s future temporary entrance, a three-minute projection tells the story of the building’s transformation: photographs by Alexander Schippel document the renovation and offer a glimpse of what visitors can expect next year. The best view is from the opposite bank of the Spree in Monbijou Park.

With the reopening on 4 June 2027, the refurbished north wing and the northern central block of the Pergamon Museum will once again be open to the public. The Collection of Classical Antiquities will showcase the world-famous Pergamon Altar and other structures from the Hellenistic period there. The Museum of Islamic Art will present its completely redesigned permanent exhibition across two floors in the north wing, featuring outstanding works such as the Mschatta façade, the Aleppo Room and the Alhambra Dome. In addition, the Museum of the Ancient Near East will present a selection of highlights from its collection in a room designed as a temporary ‘showcase’ to offer a foretaste of the new exhibition in the south wing, due to open in 2037. The reopening forms part of the celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Berlin’s Museum Island.

The light displays can be enjoyed free of charge outdoors from 9 to 18 October 2026, daily from 7 pm to 11 pm.

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