DHM-Hauptbau wohl bis 2031 dicht
The German Historical Museum (DHM) in Berlin will remain without its main building, the Zeughaus on Unter den Linden, until at least 2031 due to further delays in its renovation. Museum director Raphael Gross announced that a binding timeline from the property owner and the federal construction authority is not expected until 2027, and a reopening before 2031 is unrealistic. In the meantime, the museum is using its modern Pei-Bau wing to host a new exhibition titled "Objekte. Geschichte. Geschichten," featuring around 200 highlights from its collection of one million objects, including a samurai armor once gifted to Adolf Hitler and objects from a refugee shelter.
The prolonged closure of the DHM's historic building matters because it disrupts public access to one of Germany's most important national museums, which documents the country's complex history. The delay highlights ongoing inefficiencies in German federal construction projects and raises questions about interim solutions, such as a possible temporary exhibition space at the Humboldt Forum. The new exhibition, however, demonstrates the museum's effort to remain relevant and engage audiences despite the setback, using its collection to tell layered stories of German and global history.