The Arts Society Kington Langley Virtual Tour to Berlin - Museum Island - From the Ishtar Gate to Nefertiti

The Arts Society Kington Langley Virtual Tour to Berlin - Museum Island - From the Ishtar Gate to Nefertiti

With Berlin Tourist Guide, Nick Jackson

Tuesday 16th January 2024

It has been a long time since TASKL and friends have been on a virtual tour – after repeat trips to Rome with Stuart Harvey and then Venice with Luisella Romeo during lockdown.

Nick joined us before the tour, chatted and set the scene as the numbers of people joining grew. The presentation covered the complicated history of the site, the different bodies, kings, emperors who built and rebuilt museums, cathedrals and palaces over the years. He had numerous video clips of the area, and then maps and models to give us a flavour of the part of Berlin we were visiting.

We met the architects who designed the various buildings and the complicated history of this part of Berlin which is now an UNESCO Heritage Site comprising five different museums. Then we were treated to a digital tour of the museums themselves. We saw up close the glazed tiles of the Ishtar Gate and the surrounding ceremonial walkways, how and why they were created and the historical and religious thoughts behind them.

We visited Babylon, as we explored the original sites and again the reasons behind the various buildings. As an archaeologist Nick was able to give in-depth knowledge of the digs and explorations that led to these amazing pieces reaching the museum complex. 

We then were able to move through the different art works, friezes, sculptures and imposing cultural relics and stop and have detailed views of different sections on display. Much of the work on display came from the ruling elites but also from James Simon, a wealthy Jewish entrepreneur, who has never really been credited with the collection due to anti-Semitism in the early 1920’s. However, there is now a Gallery in his name that creates an entrance to all the other galleries.

We completed our visit with the background to Nefertiti, Tutankhamun and Akhenaten. Statues of them and other family members were all in the final gallery. Seeing behind the golden mask was a real treat and then Nefertiti has her own gallery where you are not allowed to talk or take photos so she sits in solitary splendour.

This was an amazing, detailed and thoroughly knowledgeable tour. Some of the museums are now closed as they are sinking into the river and will need considerable work to stabilise them. So, we were very fortunate that Nick was able to video so much to share with us. We will be able to watch the recording to remind of just how much information we received in such a short time. I would like to thank Nick for all the preparation that went into todays brilliant virtual tour.

Afterwards we discussed the current politicisation of museum collections and putting 21st century views on historical objects. But that’s a topic for another day!