Source::AP
BERLIN
Stefan Geismeier gingerly dusted the head of the ancient Mesopotamian figure in Berlin’s famous Pergamon Museum, then checked to make sure the statue was firmly anchored on its pedestal before moving on to the next object in the vast, empty building.
As the stone restoration specialist went about his work, other employees pasted arrows on the ground to mark the special paths visitors must follow when the museum finally reopens Tuesday under strict conditions.
Museums throughout Germany closed at the beginning of November as coronavirus cases increased, but authorities earlier this month eased restrictions to allow some museums, galleries and certain other cultural venues to begin receiving visitors again.
Some cities, including Cologne, began last week and now the capital is following suit and reopening some of the collections on Berlin’s Museum Island — one of the city’s cultural highlights and a UNESCO World Heritage site — and other venues to visitors.
“Nobody knows exactly if and when the virus numbers will go up again, but for now we will open,” said Markus Farr, a spokesman for Berlin’s state museums.
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