7 . A L T E S
M U S E U M
BODESTRASSE 1-3
Karl Friedrich Schinkel ’ s Altes Museum ,
completed in 1830 , is one of the most
important buildings of the Neoclassical
era .
The monumental arrangement of
eighteen Ionic fluted columns , the
expansive atrium and sweeping
staircase that invites visitors to ascend
to the top , the rotunda adorned with
Antique sculptures on all sides as a
place to collect one ’ s thoughts and an
explicit reference to Rome ’ s Pantheon :
such signs of architectural refinement
had previously only ever been seen in
buildings designed for royalty and the
nobility .
The inscription on the portico reads :
‘ Friedrich Wilhelm III has dedicated this
museum to the study of all antiquities
and the free arts , 1828 ’. Today the
museum houses the Antikensammlung ,
showcasing its permanent exhibition on
the art and culture of the Greeks ,
Etruscans , and Romans . The
Münzkabinett complements this
sweeping overview of classical antiquity
with its display of ancient coins .