Insights

From clearing out and renovating the building to the plans, concepts, and building up the new exhibitions, here's the behind-the-scenes look at the project of the century.

Action

Since October 2015, the exhibitions on Museum Island have been updated and redesigned. The exhibition building is also being brought up to the latest technical standards. This is being done in two phases so that the museum remains open. In July 2022, the first modernisation phase was completed. On 20,000 square meters, 20 new and renewed permanent exhibitions - from aviation to chemistry to health - now await your visit. At the same time, the construction site has "moved" to the other side of the building. There, it will first be cleared out, then the shell will be restored, and finally all rooms will be renovated and modernised before new and revised exhibitions can move in again. In 2028, the 125th anniversary of the Deutsches Museum's founding, the building is to shine completely in new splendor.

Our exhibitions currently have an average age of 20 years. Renewing them is a top priority of the Future Initiative. Before tackling that task, however, the necessary conditions must be put in place. The exhibitions implement in didactic form the latest results of historical research and new aspects of museum pedagogy.
To preserve the valuable holdings at the Museum Island site, the rooms must be renovated and updated to reflect the most advanced technical standards: We will upgrade the fire protection standards and repair damage to the buildings. The nearly 100 year old complex on the Museum Island was only patched up after the Second World War. Under the Future Initiative, the exhibition buildings on the Museum Island will be fully refurbished from top to bottom.

What has happened since summer 2022

Demolition

Demolition work is already well advanced in summer 2024.

Moving in large format

For some pieces, a crane is absolutely essential...

The first ships set sail

The clearing of the old exhibitions has begun.

Maria takes off

The ship, a fishtrawler built around 1880 and one of our masterpieces, is being restored as part of the museums' modernisation. For this - and also for the renovation of the hall - Maria had to be carefully lifted and placed on a specially constructed scaffold.

Insights into the first construction phase until summer 2022

30.000 guest for the opening

Celebration Days on Museum Island.

Health

Glimpses of the new exhibition.

Here it goes in (soon)!

The entrance is built.

The big planes and helicopters are back!

The Sikorsky helicopter, "Aunt Ju" & Co. are back in the aviation hall.

"Aunt Ju's" last journey

The legendary Junkers Ju52 has returned to Deutsches Museum.

Mathematics

Fun to the power of three!

Bit by bit

From top to bottom: The new exhibitions are growing bit by bit.

First returnees

Large exhibits for "Agriculture and Food" move in.

Atomic Physics

Small particles with huge power.

Your digital companion

The Deutsches Museum App.

Energy – Motors

Full drive.

Electrifying lookout

Objects from the new Electronic exhibition.

Woman in the moon

New catering on top of the renovated aerospace-hall.

Classical Optics

Phenomena of the visible world.

Model railway

Big enthusiasm on small tracks.

Photography and Film

Technology behind images.

The flute player

The next exhibit for the future Robotics Section is now being built in our workshops.

Everything's out!

The museum has completely cleared out the exhibition areas being modernised in the first phase, from now until 2021.

From dismantling and construction

Insights into the first part of the general refurbishment

Documentary filmmaker Reiner Holzemer accompanies the project of the century. Here is a short montage of his pictures of the first part of the general renovation. With the kind support of the Freundes- und Förderkreis Deutsches Museum e.V.