Germany Guide
Berlin
The Neue Nationalgalerie
Address: Kulturforum, west of Potsdamer Platz
Opening time: Tues, Wed & Fri 10am–6pm, Thurs 10am–10pm, Sat & Sun 11am–6pm
Price: €8
At the southeast corner of the Kulturforum, and by far its finest building is the Neue Nationalgalerie. Designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1965, the building comprises a severe glass box, its ceiling seemingly almost suspended above the ground, its clarity of line and detail oozing intelligent simplicity. The gallery divides between the permanent collection, featuring works from the beginning of the twentieth century onwards, including paintings of the "Brücke" group, work by Braque, Gris and Picasso, and temporary exhibits, often of contemporary art. Previous works include Mark Wallinger's performance piece during which he locked himself into the gallery for ten nights in a row dressed in a bear suit – a tribute to the city's symbol – pacing the floor in a daze and gazing at onlookers, a video of which won him the Turner Prize in 2007.