Museum of Photography

The Museum of Photography is located in Berlin's Charlottenburg district and houses the photography collection of the state art library and of the Helmut Newton Foundation. Overall, the building offers 2,000 m² of exhibition space.

The building was built as a mess hall for the Prussian territorial army between 1908 and 1909 and was officially dedicated on 2 September 1909. The Neo-Classical style is a stark contrast to the grand interiors of the building with colourful wall and ceiling paintings and Art Nouveau ornaments. 

After the Second World War, the city of (West) Berlin acquired the damaged building and gave it to the Prussian state art library. It was later used for temporary exhibitions. In 2004, it was officially opened as a museum of photography.

The Kaiser's Hall on the second floor houses changing exhibitions about every aspect of photography organised by the photography collection of the art library. 

The two lower floors are home to the permanent exhibition "Helmut Newton's Private Property", showing works by Helmut Newton and his wife Alice Spring.

The museum offers a varied programme of guided tours and lectures on current topics of research.