Bode vs Four Walls

In 1897, construction work began at the northern tip of the Museum Island on a museum that was to be devoted to the Renaissance, designed by Eberhard von Ihne. Once completed, the museum would bear the name of Empress Victoria’s deceased husband, Kaiser (Emperor) Friedrich, who died in 1888. When the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum opened in 1904, painting and sculpture, considered at the time as the ‘high arts’, were for the first time presented side by side on an equal footing with each other -- a presentation strategy that differed radically from that of traditional museums. The building was badly damaged in the Second World War and underwent several stages of restoration between 1948 and 1986. In 1956 it was renamed the Bode-Museum after its first director and spiritual founder. German reunification also brought with it the merging of the previously separated collections under the auspices of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, with the decision soon being taken for the museum to undergo an extensive overhaul to bring it up to date with modern museum and conservation requirements. After extensive renovation work, the museum building reopened to the public in autumn 2006. Contrary to the original concept, it now principally houses the Skulpturensammlung und Museum für Byzantinische Kunst (Sculpture Collection and Museum of Byzantine Art). The display of sculptures is enriched by some 150 works from the collection of the Gemäldegalerie (Old Master Paintings), which has been located at the Kulturforum near Potsdamer Platz since 1998. With its collection of coins and medals, the Münzkabinett (Numismatic Collection) is also housed at the Bode-Museum, where it presents its chronicle of human history forged in metal.

Official audioguide for the special exhibition „Art Within Four Walls. Jewish Families and Their Collections in Leipzig“ in Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig (30 September 2026–31 January 2027). The audioguide is available in English, German and Einfache Sprache (German Plain Language). The exhibition “Art Within Four Walls. Jewish Families and Their Collections in Leipzig” (30 September 2026–31 January 2027) presents paintings, sculptures, and works on paper from the private collections of eleven Leipzig families. They all had personal ties to the Museum der bildenden Künste (MdbK), were actively involved in cultural associations and clubs, and formed a closely interconnected network united by shared interests. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Leipzig was an economically and culturally prosperous metropolis. Middle-class families played an important role in the city’s vibrant cultural life. They were active in cultural associations, supported Leipzig’s museums and assembled extensive art collections. Under National Socialism, some of these families were classified as Jewish on the basis of the Nuremberg Laws and were persecuted, deprived of their rights, expelled or murdered. The contribution of these families has largely been forgotten to this day. For the first time, the MdbK is honouring the outstanding contribution of Jewish families to the fine arts in Leipzig with an exhibition. The collections of the MdbK comprise photographs, paintings, prints, installations, media works, sculptures, and drawings spanning eight centuries, predominantly from European art history. A particular focus is on twentieth- and twenty-first-century art from Leipzig and its place within an international context. Alongside its permanent exhibitions, which are free to visit, the MdbK presents a diverse programme of temporary exhibitions. Participatory activities, events, and projects encourage interaction and engagement. The MdbK positions itself as an inclusive museum that critically engages with discrimination.