House of World Culture

The House of World Cultures is the German centre for contemporary non-European art. This is a landmark in the German capital, attracting many tourists from all over the world. The building of the museum itself is interesting as the embodiment of modern Western architecture. On the banks of the river Spree in the Tiergarten region, the eye is struck by an unusual structure. This is the building of the former Congress Hall; here is the House of World Cultures. The shape of the building is surprisingly reminiscent of a shell, and Berliners call it a “pregnant oyster”.
The museum is one of sixteen cultural beacons funded by the German federal government.

History of the creation of the museum
The House of World Cultures founded in 1989. The building itself can be called one of the symbols of Western culture during the Cold War. The architectural concept involved a roof imitating a bird spreading its wings - as a symbol of freedom. Built-in 1957, the project was designed by New York City architect Hugh Stubbins. The building was donated to Germany by the American Benjamin Franklin Foundation. Until 1989, it was the venue for scientific conferences, and from 1989 to this day, it has been a kind of hotbed of "multiculturalism".

History of the creation of the museum
The House of World Cultures founded in 1989. The building itself can be called one of the symbols of Western culture during the Cold War. The architectural concept involved a roof imitating a bird spreading its wings - as a symbol of freedom: Built-in 1957, New York City architect Hugh Stubbins designed the project. The building was donated to Germany by the American Benjamin Franklin Foundation. Until 1989, it was the venue for scientific conferences, and from 1989 to this day, it has been a kind of hotbed of "multiculturalism".

Amazing sculpture nearby
In the vast pool in front of the building, the famous master Henry Moore called "Butterfly". The rounded statue doesn't look too much like a real butterfly. Instead, you can see all stages of its development, from larva to adult insect emerging from the pupa. The grace of this winged creature guessed in the three-dimensional figure. A fantastic bronze statue weighing 9 tons is a landmark of Berlin and the hallmark of the House of World Cultures. Another name for a powerful but graceful figure is "Jimmy Carter Smile". The sculpture is worth 3.5 million marks and appeared at the entrance to the museum in 1987. Moore's work primarily destroyed by the weather and vandals and has recently restored.

Sad pages of history
The history of the former building of the Congress, now the House of Peace Culture, knows sad pages. On May 21, 1980, the roof collapsed, killing one and injuring many. After restoration, reopened the complex in 1987 and the year of the 750th anniversary of Berlin. The original building style has preserved.

Museum events theme
The House of World Cultures has become a venue for various cultural events: festivals, and exhibitions. They subdivided into areas: fine arts, media, cinema, theatre, music and dance, society, literature, science. More than once, the House has become the venue for the most interesting annual festival of media art, "Transmediale Berlin". This fantastic event attracts guests to topics, which allows you to take a virtual tour and see firsthand how society and art transformed under the influence of the latest media technologies. Famous bloggers, scientists, artists, and philosophers come to the festival and reveal the secrets of the future's aesthetic and technical and political directions.
As part of the festival, concerts of experimental music held at the House of World Cultures, where you can see. How vividly modern electronic music and visual arts interact. Often the museum becomes a venue for exhibitions dedicated to third world countries, but the information is not ethnographic but current topics.

Museum today
The House of World Cultures is a fantastic building, attractive as an architectural monument, during opening hours it is the centre of the modern culture of different countries. The museum building is a favourite vacation spot for Berliners and visiting tourists. The evening building strikes with its splendour, contrasting with the daytime monumentality. In the dark, the shell construction shines with multi-coloured lights. On the complex territory for the 75th anniversary of the city was built the butterfly sculpture in a cafe with Mediterranean, European, Indian and Chinese dishes. In the summer months, it moves to a terrace overlooking the river. The townspeople prefer to walk at night when the illumination turns on, and the shell looks like a great flying saucer.