Ethnological Collections and Asian Art

Permanent exhibition

Showcasing the world’s civilisations spanning epochs and continents

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  Buddha (Pakistan, 2--3. Jahrhundert) im Modul „Buddhistische Kunst in Südasien. Stupas, Buddhas,Bodhisattvas“ des Museums für Asiatische Kunst im Humboldt Forum

• Federmantel (Hawaii, vor 1819) im Modul „Kunst aus Ozeanien. Ritual und Ausdruck“ desEthnologischen Museums im Humboldt Forum

• Besucher*innen im Modul „Das höfische Indien“ des Museums für Asiatische Kunst im Humboldt Forum

• Besucher*innen im Hörraum innerhalb des Moduls „Klänge der Welt. Erforschung des organisierten Klanges“ des Ethnologischen Museums im Humboldt Forum

• Prozessions-Stier Nandi, Reittier von Gott Shiva (19./20. Jahrhundert) im Modul „Kunst desHinduismus in Südasien“ des Museums für Asiatische Kunst im Humboldt Forum

• Installation "Indignation" von Justine Gaga im Modul „Koloniale Verflechtungen: Das KamerunerGrasland und Deutschland“ des Ethnologischen Museums im Humboldt Forum

• Besucher*innen im Moduls „Turfan Sammlung Zentralasien“ des Museums für Asiatische Kunst im Humboldt Forum

• Besucher*innen im Modul „Koloniale Verflechtungen: Das Kameruner Grasland und Deutschland“ des Ethnologischen Museums im Humboldt Forum

• Detailansicht der „Höhle der ringtragenden Tauben" (China) im Ausstellungsbereich „Religiöse Architektur der nördlichen Seidenstraße" des Museums für Asiatische Kunst im Humboldt Forum

• Altargruppe mit Königinmutter (Nigeria) im Ausstellungsbereich „Das Königreich Benin" des Ethnologischen Museums im Humboldt Forum

• Ansicht des Ausstellungsbereichs „Kunsthandwerk in Zentralasien“ des Ethnologischen Museums im Humboldt Forum

On the two upper floors of the Humboldt Forum’s West Wing, exhibits from the world-renowned collections of the Ethnologisches Museum (Ethnological Museum) and the Museum für Asiatische Kunst (Asian Art Museum) of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (National Museums in Berlin) showcase the world’s civilizations. They span epochs and continents ‒ opening up new perspectives on the past and present cultures of Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia and Oceania. Some 20,000 objects will be on display when the exhibition spaces in the East Wing open in 2022.

Ranging from richly carved houses from Palau to audio recordings from all over the world in the Berliner Phonogramm-Archiv: the permanent exhibition of the Ethnologisches Museum focuses on our material and immaterial heritage.

Participating in a Japanese tea ceremony or meditating in front of a statue of Buddha: the Humboldt Forum allows visitors to do all these things thanks to the collections of the Museum für Asiatische Kunst.

20,000 objects on 17,000 square meters

Visitors come away wanting to know more about the collection’s history and about religious questions, contemporary art and the importance of craftsmanship. The exhibition features rituals, performances and perspectives of indigenous communities in order to engage critically with the colonial heritage and the role of Europe.

 

Africa

Bronze and ivory reliefs from the Kingdom of Benin, wooden figures and masks from Cameroon, aesthetically outstanding sculptures from the Congo and leather clothing from Namibia decorated with iron and glass beads are among the best-known and most unusual works from Africa to be found in Berlin. However, many of them left the African continent as a result of colonial conquest and rule. The exhibitions of the Ethnologisches Museum’s Africa Collections in the Humboldt Forum raise pressing questions concerning the societies in Africa from which the artifacts originated, the conditions under which they were collected, and the dilemmas in which the relevant parties in Africa found themselves. They demand a cooperative examination of the history of colonialism and its effects right up to the present day.

America

The exhibition area paints a comprehensive picture of historical and contemporary Native American cultures. Highlights include collections from the central and southern Andean region, the impressive Cotzumalhuapa stelae from present-day Guatemala, two totem poles from First Nations in British Columbia and collections from early explorers of the Amazon region. A separate exhibition space is devoted to a diverse collection of ceramics from North, Meso- and South America, as well as collections from the plains and prairies of North America.

 

Asia

The third floor is dedicated to the art and culture of the largest continent on earth. Collections from the Ethnologisches Museum and the Museum für Asiatische Kunst are brought together here for the first time, creating a dialogue where contemporary art meets centuries-old masterpieces. Experience the art of the Chinese court in a spectacular throne room, watch a Japanese tea ceremony, admire reconstructed Buddhist cave temples painted 1500 years ago, immerse yourself in the world of Indo-Islamic gardens, experience the fascination of the religious rituals surrounding India’s divine sculptures or get to know the fantastic theatre traditions of Southeast Asia and the diversity of Islamic life.

 

Oceania

The Pacific is the largest ocean in the world and in the vast expanse of the sea, the islands of Oceania seem small and isolated. For the indigenous population, however, the sea was never a barrier. For many, it is part of their identity, even today. Their ancestors traveled great distances and were the first people to discover the Pacific islands. The boats in the Humboldt Forum bear witness to their outstanding navigational and boat-building skills. Houses from Palau, as well as those of the Abelam people of Papua New Guinea, are an additional highlight in the Oceania exhibition area.

Contemporary Art

Contemporary artworks and installations can be found throughout the exhibition areas in the Ethnologisches Museum and the Museum für Asiatische Kunst. Along with António Ole’s Township Wall and imposing artworks by Mariana Castillo Deball, installations addressing the effects of the colonial era in present-day Africa will leave a lasting impression.

A permanent exhibition of the Ethnologisches Museum and the Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.

Museum Sunday at the Humboldt Forum. Free admission

Experience Museum Sunday at the Humboldt Forum on 6 February from 10:00-20:00. For an exciting start to the month, you can visit the following exhibitions with family and friends free of charge: BERLIN GLOBAL.

As always, these exhibitions are admission-free all year round: the Humboldt Laboratory with the exhibition After Nature, the Ethnological Museum and the Museum of Asian Art.

For Museum Sunday, time slots for all the above exhibitions can be booked here from 30.01.2022 via museumssonntag.berlin. Remaining tickets will be available at the box office. We look forward to your visit!

Runtime: from September 2021

Price info: Admission & Tickets

The Humboldt Forum is an open space for everyone to drop by and visit our exhibitions. At the moment, however, some safety restrictions apply due to the Corona pandemic. Therefore, we kindly ask you to book a time slot ticket online in advance.

Time slots: Due to the Corona pandemic, you need to book a time slot ticket in advance to visit an exhibition.

Book a timed ticket: You can book your timed ticket for an exhibition online or via [phone].

Booking 7 days in advance: Due to the possibility of changes in hygiene guidelines at short notice, time slots can be booked 7 days in advance

Visiting several exhibitions: When booking, please remember to coordinate your visits to the individual exhibitions. Please also take the estimated time spent in each exhibition into account.

Duration of exhibition visit: Average time spent in the exhibitions: Terrible Beauty c. 90 min; Have a Seat! c. 90 min; Palace Cellar c. 30 min; BERLIN GLOBAL c. 120 min; After Nature c. 60 min

Price: €0.00

Reduced price: €0.00

Takes place here:

• Humboldt Forum