Who commissioned the Altes Museum in Berlin?
King Frederick William III of Prussia issued a directive to create the public museum. He charged architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel with planning the building for the royal art collection.
Questions about Altes Museum
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was the Altes Museum renamed from Königliches Museum?
The completion of the Neues Museum caused the Königliches Museum to be renamed the Altes Museum in 1845. This name holds to this day.
What happened to the frescoes inside the Altes Museum during World War II?
A tank truck exploded in front of the building near the end of Second World War. The frescoes designed by Schinkel and Peter Cornelius were largely lost during this event.
Which artifacts are currently displayed on the ground floor of the Altes Museum?
Since 1998, the Collection of Classical Antiquities displays its Greek collection including the treasury on the ground floor. These artifacts exclude ethnography, prehistory, and excavated treasures from Assyria or Persia.
How many Ionic columns face the Lustgarten at the Altes Museum?
The front facing the Lustgarten features eighteen Ionic columns arranged by the garden itself. A simple columned hall in grand style gave the building character proportionate to the importance of the location.