Das Verborgene Museum

Tucked away in Berlin’s Charlottenburg district, Das Verborgene Museum, or The Hidden Museum, whispers stories of forgotten female artists. It’s a place that once shone a light on women whose creative contributions were overshadowed by history. Das Verborgene Museum was founded in 1986. Its mission was to unearth the lives and works of women artists who, for various reasons, faded into obscurity. The museum’s founders conducted research in Berlin’s museums between 1984 and 1987. They uncovered the works of over 500 women artists hidden within archives and collections. Sadly, only a handful of these artists remained known. Das Verborgene Museum primarily focused on artists from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Many exhibitions offered the first recognition of these artists’ work in Germany since World War II. The museum showcased painters, photographers, sculptors, and architects. It aimed to provide a public platform for their art and scholarly analysis of their lives. Das Verborgene Museum received financial support through the Women Artists’ Programme at the Senate Department for Science, Research and Culture in Berlin. Foundations, cultural funds, and sponsors also contributed to its project work. Sadly, Das Verborgene Museum closed its doors on January 1, 2022. Its mission has been transferred to the Berlinische Galerie. This museum continues the research and recognition of these forgotten female artists. While Das Verborgene Museum no longer exists physically, its legacy lives on in the stories it unearthed. Its work continues to inspire the rediscovery of these remarkable women and their artistic contributions.