October 25 - Day 98

Museumsinsel.

A full day of museum exploration is on the agenda for today. The first stop the Pergamon Museum, built in 1930, which houses multiple reconstructed immense and historically significant buildings such as the Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. Museum #2 was the Neues (New), architecturally this was the most interesting museum of the day as it was destroyed in World War II and rebuilt under the direction of David Chipperfield. The museum reopened in 2009 and contains the Egyptian Museum of Berlin, including the bust of Nefertiti. When touring the museum the audio guide gave references to the collection but also gave visitors a chance to learn about the rebuild, which I found most interesting. Today's photo was taken in the Neues. Last museum of the day was the Bode which houses sculpture collections and late antique and byzantine art. After our knowledge bombardment we headed to West Berlin to Ku'damm to see the ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The evening is completed with a home cooked meal, a $2.99 bottle of wine and some stand up comedy.