2026 - April - Berlin - New National Gallery and the Brancusi Exhibition

'Berlin has more museums than rainy days' says a slogan of Berlin marketing. Is that true?

I did a quick research: On average, Berlin is supposed to have about 106 rainy days, but 175 museums and collections. That's a lot of rain, but even more museums!

We've already visited a few of them (just a few), but we have never been to one of the largest: the New National Gallery. This spectacular building by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is prominently located in today's Berlin, near Potsdamer Platz. However, at the time of its opening in 1968, it was located in a border area. Because not far from here lay the Berlin Wall. It was a clear political statement of openness that isolated West Berlin wanted to convey.

The message was supposed to be: We West Berliners belong to international modernity. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's building fits perfectly into this narrative. The striking open glass hall without load-bearing inner walls is even considered a masterpiece of modernity.

Here, contemporary artists or those from the 20th century are featured.

The current highlight is the Brancusi exhibition, which even occasionally leads to long lines at the entrance, even though the artist is not that well known in Germany.

As a sculptor, Constantin Brancusi is famous for his highly reduced sculptures. Early works still reveal facial features or the bird as a figure. However, later he honed and polished his works down to the essentials.

This also leaves a lot of room for interpretations for the visitor. Is this stone an egg or a head? And why does Princess X actually look like a phallus?

Many of the works by the Romanian-born artist were created in Paris and can nowadays be found in various museums or with collectors. By the way, his studio was preserved almost 1:1 after his death. A replica of it can currently be admired in the New National Gallery.

Additionally, the pieces on display as a collection in this concentrated form are very interesting. This makes it possible to approach the artist and his work.

In the basement, there are currently two larger exhibitions: 1. “Gerhard Richter. 100 Works for Berlin” and 2. “Torn Apart. Art between Politics and Society (1945–2000)”.

Anyone, like us, who purchases an all-exhibitions ticket can of course admire all these works.