Last weekend I checked out the opening of the James Simon Galerie, which serves as the new entryway to the State Museums on Museum Island in Berlin. The grand opening included music, tours, children’s activities and much media coverage – and was swarming with the curious public.

My take-away: I love it! The modern “acropolis,” designed by British architect David Chipperfield, is an elegant, practical, and much anticipated replacement for the ticket trailers that have been doing the job of welcoming visitors for years. Needless to say, the new building does much more than sell tickets to the island’s five museums. It encompasses an information center, museum shop, café, restaurant, auditorium, and space for special exhibits. Eventually, the James Simon Galerie will be linked via underground passages to the Neues, Altes, Pergamon and Bode Museums.

As you can see from the pictures below, the building design is about columns. But the revised classical theme is trim and timeless, still referencing the neighboring 19th century buildings, but with an economy of line that points towards the future. The scale is simultaneously monumental and human – which is an impressive design accomplishment. When you enter the building, you feel like there are no walls – just columns and glass. As a result, in every direction there are views of the surrounding city.

The building is also a testament to engineering virtuosity. In some areas of the building’s footprint, solid ground is not reached until 130 feet down. Over 1,000 piles had to be anchored underneath the building to construct a concrete foundation shell. In addition, the water table at the site is close to ground level, which presented additional challenges.

The James Simon Galerie is bringing Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one step closer to its transformation from war-damaged ruins to a functional and beautiful art history center history for world view.