A Palace and the World: Berlin’s Humboldt Forum

In the middle of Berlin, workers are putting the finishing touches on a mighty palace construction. Concealed behind the Baroque sandstone façade are modern concrete architecture – and an entirely new institution: the Humboldt Forum aims to become a “space for encounter and exchange with the world” through exhibitions, public forums, and scholarly events. Since its initial planning, the project has been accompanied equally by enthusiasm and by critical debates: its advocates welcome the restoration of the historical heart of the city and the opening of Berlin’s Museum Island for the cultures of the world. Its critics question the return of the ethnological collections to a space with an imperial past, and the ownership rights to objects from unclear provenances. In 2019, the Humboldt Forum will open its doors. The coming meeting of the Fellows’ Club offers past and present Fellows of the Wissenschaftskolleg the opportunity to be among the first to enter the impressive construction in Berlin’s center, to get to know the impulse and idea givers of the Humboldt Forum, and to discuss the open questions around the project with experts.