The Ensemble on Museum Island

In 1906, the foundation stone for the museum on the Isar Island was laid in the presence of Emperor Wilhelm II. The design for the building, one of the first reinforced concrete structures in Munich, was by Gabriel von Seidl. In the course of time, however, it was modified by Oskar von Miller's ever new wishes.

The First World War and the subsequent inflation delayed the opening until 1925. Oskar von Miller chose his 70th birthday, 7 May, as the date of the inauguration. The leaders of state and society came to Munich to open the largest technical museum in the world.

The construction of a library and a congress hall had been firmly decided since the museum was founded. Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg laid the foundation stone in 1928. Despite very limited funds, the library was able to open in 1932. The shell of the congress hall remained standing. It was not opened until 1935 with the support of the National Socialist government, which needed the hall for its rallies.

During the Nazi regime, the Deutsches Museum could only maintain its independence by making numerous concessions: Nazi functionaries were elected to the museum's committees, a "Hall for Motor Vehicles" sponsored by Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler opened in 1938, but above all the library building was used for several propaganda exhibitions, including the inflammatory show "The Eternal Jew".