About the museum
The Ethnologisches Museum (Ethnological Museum) evolved from the collections of the royal cabinets of art and since its foundation in 1873 has become one of the largest and most significant collections of its kind worldwide.
The museum’s holdings comprise ca. 500,000 ethnographic, archaeological and historico-cultural objects from Africa, Asia, America, Australia and the South Seas. They are complemented by an ethnomusicological archive of 140,000 sound recordings, 285,000 photographs, 20,000 films and 200,000 pages of written documents. Many of its collections are among the most comprehensive and valuable in existence today.
The Ethnologisches Museum will soon be relocating to its new address at Schlossplatz in Berlin-Mitte, where it will be the largest partner involved in the Humboldt Forum and feature a brand new exhibition concept.
Due to preparations for the transfer, the Berlin-Dahlem site of both the Ethnologisches Museum and the Museum für Asiatische Kunst has been closed since 9 January 2017.