Relaunch and opening program

A new phase for Hamburger Bahnhof is set to begin this weekend in Berlin. After months of exciting preparations the Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart (National Gallery for Contemporary Art) is opening its doors to the much-awaited new collection presentations and forum, while simultaneously launching its re-envisioned architectural layout and visual identity offering a fresh take on the museum’s history and future. Three open days packed full of festivities, artist talks, DJ sets and performances will mark the occasion. Admission is free to all exhibitions, programs and events.

The directors of Hamburger Bahnhof, Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath: “With this relaunch, Hamburger Bahnhof emphasises its role as the national gallery of contemporary art and as a collaborative collecting institution connected to its neighbourhood. Situated as we are where the Berlin Wall once separated East and West, we feel compelled to examine and counter such histories of division by bringing diverse voices together in an open conversation that anticipates the future of both the museum and the society with which it engages. As we embark upon this new phase, we are pleased to be presenting an appealing, accessible new architectural approach and visual identity. We are equally delighted to be offering a wide range of programmes that are free to the public alongside innovative educational and outreach initiatives. Broadening our audience both locally and internationally is key.”

Nationalgalerie: A Collection for the 21st Century
The new collection presentation centres on the city of Berlin and its eventful development from the years shortly before the opening of the Wall in 1989 to the present. The selected works by 59 artists from several generations and various parts of the world explore the multi-layered interplay of socio-political and economic factors in the formerly divided city. They testify to the images, narratives, artistic practices and positions that have been and continue to be forged in Berlin, evolving and spreading from here around the world. Together these artworks trace what it means to be, to live and to feel in Berlin.

For the first time, Hamburger Bahnhof’s extensive holdings of contemporary art enter into a long-term dialogue with two outstanding public collections: the Kunstsammlung des Bundes (Federal Collection of Contemporary Art) and the ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (Institute for International Cultural Relations) art collection.

Forum Hamburger Bahnhof
Forum Hamburger Bahnhof is an admission free gathering space that is located in the newly refurbished west wing of the museum. It reflects Hamburger Bahnhof’s commitment to learn and grow through an ongoing exchange of ideas between the museum and its visitors. Based on four interrelated themes, museum, collection, building, and neighbourhood, the Forum reflects on both, the past and the future of Hamburger Bahnhof as Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart. What does it mean to be a public institution whose mission is to foster dialogue on key social issues via contemporary art? The Forum offers a space to reflect on this collectively, and invites the public to join in shaping the future of the museum as a sustainable and inclusive institution.

Endless Exhibition
This long-term presentation encompasses 19 installations, interventions and sculptures from Hamburger Bahnhof’s collection, all of which are permanently present at the museum as an integral part of its interior and exterior spaces. A free self-guided tour facilitated by a microsite and booklet leads through all parts of the museum complex and into the grounds and adjacent areas—interconnecting the collection, history, buildings, and neighbourhood of the museum for the first time in this way. A new site-specific production will be added each year with diversity being an important criterion. Berlin-based artist Judith Hopf is the first in the new line-up. Her work can be viewed in the east wing from June 2023.

Berlin Beats
Berlin Beats is an open-air concert series celebrating Berlin’s electronic music scene on twelve summer evenings from June 16 to August 31, 2023. Reflecting the city’s vibrant cultural landscape, the programme features leading Berlin-based DJs with music ranging from experimental sound to hard beats. DJ Ellen Allien kicks off the programme with her set on Friday, June 16 at 7pm. All concerts will be in the museum garden and are admission free.