Museumsportal Berlin

In addition to its main site at the Kulturforum Potsdamer Platz, the Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Decorative Arts) opened at a second location, the Köpenick Palace in May 2004.
Built between 1677 and 1689 in the Baroque style, the palace first became a museum in 1963. After the division of Germany, the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (National Museums in Berlin) used it as an exhibition space for those parts of the Museum of Decorative Arts collection, which had remained in East Berlin. In 1994, basic restoration work began on the building.
At Köpenick Palace, a new museum concept was devised called "RoomArt" according to which furniture and decorative art from the Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo periods were presented together. Over 500 exhibits are on display, selected according to the original function fulfilled by the objects in 16th, 17th and 18th century culture in the public, private and courtly spheres. The term "RoomArt" embraces all parts of the interior which in the past served as wall and room decorations in bourgeois and courtly rooms including tapestries, enamel works, panelling, leather hangings, a cabinet with Baroque cupboards from the Kunstkammer, centrepieces, porcelain and silver. After careful restoration, the ceiling paintings and the stucco ceilings (29 in total) created by Graubünden masters, are also incorporated in the new presentation concept.
One of the highlights of the tour of the palace are four walk-in panels from the above mentioned periods. Among these is the richly inlaid Renaissance panel from the Haldenstein Palace in Switzerland and the Höllrich Palace, the silver buffet from the Berlin Palace and the recreated "coat of arms hall”.
The Baroque truss is an exceptional and technical monument. This space is used for the presentation of the study collection of metal instruments, faience, glass and porcelain. The basement, including the remains of the imposing north-eastern tower of the preceding building, houses an exhibition on the history of settlement and architectural development on the palace island. The extensive range of visitor services is completed by multimedia facilities offering information concerning the architecture of the palace and the collection, a reading room and last but not least, the palace café, idyllically located on the banks of the river.