A new extension to the permanent exhibition shows the history of Schönhausen Palace during National Socialism: between 1938 and 1940, around 3,750 works of art that had previously been confiscated from German museums as part of the ‘Degenerate Art’ campaign were stored in Schönhausen Palace. From here, they were to be ‘utilised’ – that is, sold abroad for foreign currency.
Image gallery
Lagerung beschlagnahmter Kunstwerke in den Schlossräumen, ca. 1938-1941.
SPSG Schloss Schönhausen, Reinhardt und Sommer
With the expansion of the exhibition, Schönhausen Palace provides insight into the art policy of National Socialism and addresses its role as an important venue for the National Socialist ‘Degenerate Art’ campaign.
This complements the existing permanent exhibition – which covers the palace's use as the summer residence of Queen Elisabeth Christine and as a guest house for the GDR government – and closes a gap in the presentation of the site's history.
The exhibition will open in spring 2026 as part of the SPSG's ‘ArtPolitics’ theme year.
The ‘Degenerate Art’ campaign at Schönhausen Palace:
Visitors can explore what happened at the palace in five rooms. They will learn about selected figures involved in the ‘disposal’ and find out how the sale was organised and carried out. They gain insight into the biographies, motivations and scope of action of the people involved, the administrative staff, the dealers who brokered the art sales, and the collectors who bought the artworks stored in the palace.
One room is dedicated to the artists affected.
There, the fates of some of the artists are presented and their different experiences are made accessible through diaries and letters.
Selected original works of art and the description of their paths after confiscation illustrate the facets of Nazi art policy and its consequences.
- Curated by Dr Ulrike Schmiegelt-Rietig
- A permanent exhibition of the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg (SPSG)
- The exhibition extension was funded by the Lotto Foundation Berlin.
Additional information
Educational Services
Educational programme:
There are various educational programmes related to the exhibition.
There are various educational programmes related to the exhibition.
- In addition to the general tour covering the entire history of the palace, a themed tour offers in-depth insights into the ‘Degenerate Art’ campaign at Schönhausen Palace.
- There is also an educational programme for school classes in the form of a workshop where pupils can explore the themes of the exhibition for themselves under the guidance of educational guides.
Accessibility
Special emphasis is placed on accessibility for many visitor groups.
- The exhibition is barrier-free for people with walking disabilities and partially barrier-free for wheelchair users.
- Multisensory offerings in all rooms are aimed (not only) at people with visual impairments.
