German Ethnographic Museums

Tim Simmons · 13th September 2009, 11:41 AM

I may have the good fortune to make a long weekend trip to one of the German ethnographic museums. The only problem is that on the web they all seem excellent which I am sure they are; Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt and Berlin.

As you may know my main interest is Africa and the South Seas. I will only be able to do one. Is there one that is gernerally thought of having the best collection of these two areas? Any recomendations and comments?

Tatyana Dianova · 13th September 2009, 09:10 PM

Tim, I have visited ethnographic museums in Munich, Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden. In Dresden the museum building is still under the reconstruction, so they have only some exhibitions and no regular museum rooms.
In Berlin I have had only 2 hours for the Dahlem museum, so I haven't visited the rooms that may be of interest to you. I have looked only at the Indian and South-Eastern exposition, and, well, I was more disappointed than impressed. For example, the Indian arms shown at the Indian museum you may count on the fingers of one hand :-( The same for Munich (but I was lucky to see there a Japanese exhibition :-)
The Grassi museum in Leipzig is my favorite: it has very well made and interesting exposition, with many arms shown, among them many African arms. Although this museum was newly restored, its exposition resembles by its style old museums, unlike Berlin (or Leiden, which was another disappointment to me – a lot of museum space - and not so many items shown…)

Tim Simmons · 14th September 2009, 07:34 PM

Thank you Tatyana. There must be other people who have more information? To narrow it down I would be most keen to see what might be thought as the best collection of South Seas, Bismark Archipelago material?

Sajen · 14th September 2009, 09:14 PM

Hello Tim,

i am a little bit shamed, because I don't have visited one of the german museums. But I have listen that the musem in Cologne have a good collection.
Sorry that I can't give you a better advise.

Detlef

Tim Simmons · 15th September 2009, 06:39 PM

Hamburg web site looks good. Cologne is easy to get to by train. Kolsch + Himmel un Äd

Sajen · 15th September 2009, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Hamburg web site looks good. Cologne is easy to get to by train. Kolsch + Himmel un Äd

Prost!

13th September 2009, 11:41 AM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	German Ethnographic Museums I may have the good fortune to make a long weekend trip to one of the German ethnographic museums. The only problem is that on the web they all seem excellent which I am sure they are; Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt and Berlin. As you may know my main interest is Africa and the South Seas. I will only be able to do one. Is there one that is gernerally thought of having the best collection of these two areas? Any recomendations and comments?

13th September 2009, 09:10 PM	#2
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 695	Tim, I have visited ethnographic museums in Munich, Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden. In Dresden the museum building is still under the reconstruction, so they have only some exhibitions and no regular museum rooms. In Berlin I have had only 2 hours for the Dahlem museum, so I haven't visited the rooms that may be of interest to you. I have looked only at the Indian and South-Eastern exposition, and, well, I was more disappointed than impressed. For example, the Indian arms shown at the Indian museum you may count on the fingers of one hand :-( The same for Munich (but I was lucky to see there a Japanese exhibition :-) The Grassi museum in Leipzig is my favorite: it has very well made and interesting exposition, with many arms shown, among them many African arms. Although this museum was newly restored, its exposition resembles by its style old museums, unlike Berlin (or Leiden, which was another disappointment to me – a lot of museum space - and not so many items shown…)

14th September 2009, 07:34 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Thank you Tatyana. There must be other people who have more information? To narrow it down I would be most keen to see what might be thought as the best collection of South Seas, Bismark Archipelago material?

14th September 2009, 09:14 PM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,769	Hello Tim, i am a little bit shamed, because I don't have visited one of the german museums. But I have listen that the musem in Cologne have a good collection. Sorry that I can't give you a better advise. Detlef

15th September 2009, 06:39 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Hamburg web site looks good. Cologne is easy to get to by train. Kolsch + Himmel un Äd