Museum of Ethnology, Berlin

Museum of Ethnology, Berlin

The Museum of Ethnology, Berlin was established in 1873 and is one of the world's largest ethnological museums. It houses 500,000 pre-industrial historical artifacts, primarily from the periods of German maritime exploration, the late 19th century, and the early 20th-century colonial era.

Through the collection, preservation, and exhibition of various pre-industrial objects, the museum offers visitors insight into the social structures and cultural histories of pre-industrial societies, especially those outside Europe. Its 500,000 artifacts are richly diverse and captivating, originating from Africa, the Americas, Europe, the Islamic world, East and North Asia, South and Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, and Australia. Visitors can admire oceanic-style boats crafted entirely in the style of the 18th century, including a Tongan canoe and a sailing vessel from the Santa Cruz Islands, the latter being a masterpiece of shipbuilding craftsmanship. In addition, the museum displays exquisite pre-Columbian gold artifacts, Aztec stone statues, Peruvian pottery, Benin brassware, Cameroonian sacred sculptures, Nigerian terracotta works, Tang tri-colored pottery, Indonesian shadow puppetry figures, masks, and theatrical puppets.

If you crave more than visual delight, a wide selection of headphones is available at the museum entrance, offering music played on ethnic instruments from around the world and allowing you to listen to some of the earliest ethnographic music recordings, satisfying your musical curiosity.

Ethnological Museum of Berlin

Must-visit reason: One of the world’s largest ethnological museums

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Germany[Germany]

Province/State: Berlin[Berlin]

City: Berlin[Berlin]