Jewish Cemeteries in Germany (01:31)

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Architect Daniel Libeskind built the Jewish Museum in Berlin from1993-1998. Libeskind was impressed by abandoned cemeteries with crypts.

Jewish Museum Location (01:56)

Only a Baroque building remained from the bombed out center of Berlin. Libeskind discusses the location of the museum and magnitude of the endeavor.

Nicknamed "Lightning" (01:31)

Inspired by Schoenberg's unfinished opera "Moses und Aron," Libeskind titled his proposal "Between the Lines." Broken lines of the structure and facades reiterate discontinuity.

Interconnected Buildings and Histories (02:15)

Hidden in the trees, the museum is hardly visible from the road. Seemingly separate, the museum entrance is inside its Baroque neighbor, intertwined by passageways.

Axes of German Judaism (04:01)

From the concrete tower, three intersecting corridors represent three paths: continuity, exile and death. Only the axis of continuity rises through a narrow staircase to the museum.

Closed Off Paths (04:47)

The paths to exile and death lead to exhibition areas of photos and drawings. A black door leads to the Tower of the Holocaust. The path of exile leads to the disorienting Garden of Exile.

Museum Facade (03:25)

The concrete towers and pillars are distinct from the zinc-covered main building. Gashes cut the facade for oddly shaped windows. In 1999, the empty museum opened to visitors.

Re-Inauguration (01:17)

In September 2001, the museum was officially re-inaugurated with over 4,000 objects witnessing Jewish presence in Germany.

Museum Voids (02:32)

Concrete towers intersect the building, creating voids within the structure. A line of skylights across the zigzagged structure is the only evidence of the internal towers.

Void of Memory (02:16)

The Void of Memory is the only one accessible to the public; old metal audio and video reels cover the floor.

Credits: The Jewish Museum Berlin: Architectures—Achievements in Modern Architecture (01:01)

Credits: The Jewish Museum Berlin: Architectures—Achievements in Modern Architecture