L’ouverture du Berlin Modern repoussée à 2030
The opening of the Berlin Modern museum has been delayed to 2030 due to construction setbacks and cost overruns. According to German media outlet Monopol, the project has been plagued by humidity issues, including mold, algae, and bacteria on new surfaces, caused by winter dampness, concrete sensitivity, and faulty ventilation. Originally launched in 2019 with a planned opening in mid-2020, the museum's completion has been repeatedly pushed back, with costs soaring from an initial €200 million to over €500 million, making it the most expensive museum ever built in Germany. The building, designed by Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron, is located at the Kulturforum and will house 20th-century art collections from the Nationalgalerie, the Marx Collection, the Pietzsch Collection, and holdings from the Kupferstichkabinett and the Kunstbibliothek.
The delays and budget overruns have sparked criticism on architectural, political, and museological levels. The project's austere design has disappointed some observers, while the financial drift has fueled political tensions and scrutiny of construction management. Most critically, Berlin remains without a venue adequate to display its modern art collections, much of which remains inaccessible to the public. The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, which oversees the project, has acknowledged that without this building, a significant portion of these works would stay hidden. The museum's opening is now tentatively set for mid-2030, pending further developments.