The exclusive exhibits from Berlin's Museum Island will be presented at the History Museum of Armenia.

From September 22, the Armenian History Museum will host the exclusive international exhibition "Myths, Cults, and Cosmology: The Berlin Museum Island at the Armenian History Museum." It is organized on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia and the 200th anniversary of the Berlin Museum Island, becoming a significant platform for cultural dialogue, institutional memory, and the mutual reinterpretation of the collections of two important museum centers. Ahead of the exhibition's opening, a press conference was held today at the Armenian History Museum, featuring speakers such as Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan, the Federal Republic of Germany's Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Armenia Claudia Bush, Director of the Armenian History Museum David Poghosyan, and Director of the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of the Berlin Museum Island Matthias Wemhoff.

 

Independence Day is also marked by initiatives aimed at cultural heritage

 

Welcoming the attendees, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan congratulated everyone on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of Independence and emphasized that for the third year now, this day is also marked by initiatives aimed at cultural heritage: "We are celebrating the 35th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia, and I believe the chosen theme regarding a lasting state is more than eloquent. Having traversed a difficult path, we have firmly stood on the path that leads to the strengthening, empowerment, and sustainability of our state day by day. And this is also happening through culture."

 

According to Zhanna Andreasyan, it is symbolic that the new exhibition opening on the day of Armenia's independence is being realized within the framework of international cooperation with the participation of prestigious museums. Armenian cultural heritage is viewed in the context of global cultural heritage, and international exhibitions provide an opportunity to see the connections, commonalities, and interactions between different cultures, contributing to the enhancement of the quality of our country's museum activities.

 

On the importance of the educational component

 

Zhanna Andreasyan particularly emphasized the educational component of the exhibition, expressing hope that schoolchildren will actively visit the museum and that the knowledge gained through the exhibition will assist them in their studies of various subjects. "Such exhibitions are more than just presentations of different artifacts. They become a means of transferring important knowledge, recognition, and connection to our daily lives," the minister noted, emphasizing that the structure of the exhibition allows reaching from ancient times to the present and seeing how past perceptions resonate in the present.

 

Zhanna Andreasyan thanked the curators of the exhibition and the professional team for developing the idea and successfully forming the concept. She also highlighted the ongoing nature of Armenian-German cultural cooperation, recalling her visit to Berlin and the discussions that took place during the preparation of the exhibition.

 

The minister expressed gratitude to the German partners, as well as to the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Armenia for their constant support and willingness. It was also noted that the Armenian History Museum will have an exhibition at the Berlin Museum Island in turn.

 

Some samples from the German collection are being exhibited abroad for the first time

 

The Federal Republic of Germany's Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Armenia Claudia Bush also congratulated the citizens of Armenia on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of Independence, emphasizing the collaboration between the notable museums of Berlin and the Armenian History Museum. According to the ambassador, the exhibition presents humanity's centuries-old attempts to recognize and understand the world, the country, and each other—from the Bronze Age to the 20th century—while revealing the commonalities that exist between different countries, cultures, and eras. She particularly emphasized that some samples from the German collection are being exhibited abroad for the first time. In Claudia Bush's assessment, the exhibition not only has scientific and cultural significance but also serves as a testament to the high level of Armenian-German relations and contemporary museum cooperation. "This exhibition is part of our bilateral strategic partnership aimed at deepening cooperation in various fields, including culture, education, and academic collaboration, promoting cultural exchanges, and strengthening mutual understanding," said Claudia Bush, expressing gratitude on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to all partners involved in organizing the exhibition.

 

Visitors will be transported to different civilizations and different times

 

Director of the Armenian History Museum David Poghosyan also congratulated everyone on the occasion of both the 35th anniversary of Independence and the opening of the important exhibition. "This exhibition will transport our visitors to different civilizations and times, creating a unique opportunity for dialogue. This is a very important collaboration for us, which would not have been possible without state support," said David Poghosyan. According to Matthias Wemhoff, Director of the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of the Berlin Museum Island, this is the first time in the 200-year history of the Berlin Museum Island that the six museums of the island are collaborating and presenting their artifacts together at the Armenian History Museum. "It is symbolic that we are stepping beyond the island's boundaries and presenting ourselves to the world, which is also a crucial step in terms of strengthening connections between people," said Matthias Wemhoff.

 

50 exclusive samples from the six museums of the Berlin Museum Island

 

The exclusive international exhibition "Myths, Cults, and Cosmology" will feature more than 50 samples from the six museums of the Berlin Museum Island. They span a wide chronological range—from the ancient world to the Middle Ages and modern times. For the first time, artifacts selected from the rich collections of the six museums of the Berlin Museum Island and the Armenian History Museum will be gathered on one platform. Artifacts discovered from Uruk, Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Iran, Greece, Armenia, Byzantium, as well as from Italy, Germany, and other countries, including ritual vessels, seals, jewelry, weapons, and architectural decorations, will be presented, which bear traces of cosmological and mythological imagery. Key exhibits include bronze models of the "solar system" dating back to the 12th-11th centuries BC from the early Iron Age. Notably, the Berlin examples of these models are being presented to the public for the first time.

 

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the commonalities and transformations between the cultural heritage of different civilizations, mythological thinking, and cosmological concepts.

 

The exhibition is being realized in collaboration with the Armenian History Museum and the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of the Berlin Museum Island, with financial support from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Armenia. The exhibition will run until March 21, 2027.

 

 

 

Noyan Tapan   |   Culture