The permanent exhibition of this world-famous antiquities collection gives visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the rich cultural history of the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans. The display – which is divided up chronologically and thematically – presents some of the key works of classical art, such as the bronze statue known as the Praying Boy, the so-called Berlin Goddess, and outstanding portraits of Caesar and Cleopatra. The architectural epicentre of the display is formed by the rotunda, designed after the Pantheon in Rome, and adorned with statues of Roman deities.
Myth and Everyday Life
On the main floor, diverse objects in all media and from all genres explore themes such as the “Heroic Age” in early Greece from 1000 to 700 BC and the world of Greek mythology with its moving and dramatic episodes, but also look at everyday life in the classical metropolis of Athens. The display sheds light on the important role of theatre in Greek culture (something that continues to have an influence today), and on the many facets of life in the cities and in the courts of the rulers in the Hellenic era after Alexander the Great, with the stark social contrasts that characterised this time.
Italia Antiqua
The upper floor depicts the rise of the civilisation of the Etruscans in Italy. A broad spectrum of objects provides an overview of Etruscan urban civilization, religious beliefs, influence across the Mediterranean region, and highly specialised arts and crafts.
This section is followed by the world of the Roman Empire, with the section “Life and Death in Rome”, with a recreation of lavish Roman dwellings in “Roman Villas: A Life of Luxury”. In “Rome – Faces of the Empire”, stone sculptures, portraits on coins, delicate, small-format gem reliefs and painted portraits allow audiences to come face to face with the families of Roman emperors and citizens alike.
