Halle State Museum of Prehistory

The State Museum of Prehistory (Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte) in Halle (Saale) is the archaeological museum of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It holds one of the oldest, most extensive, and significant archaeological collections in Germany, comprising more than 15 million items. The institution is globally recognized for its holdings of world-class artifacts, most notably the Nebra sky disk, which has been the centerpiece of its permanent exhibition since 2008.

The museum traces its origins to the collection of the Thüringisch-Sächsischer Verein für Erforschung des vaterländischen Alterthums und Erhaltung seiner Denkmale, founded in Naumburg on October 3, 1819. The collection was relocated to Halle in 1823 and housed in the Alten fürstlichen Prachtsaal of the Neue Residenz by 1825. In 1876, the Historical Commission of the Province of Saxony was established by the provincial parliament, which approved funds for a provincial museum in March 1882. The original society's collection was transferred to the new museum by August 1883, and Hans von Borries became the first director in July 1884. The institution underwent several reorganizations and name changes, becoming the Landesanstalt für Vorgeschichte in 1921 and the Landesanstalt für Volkheitskunde in 1934. Surviving World War II without significant losses, the museum reopened its permanent exhibition in March 1946. Following German reunification, it was placed under the Ministry of Education and Science, and later the Ministry of Culture. In 1991, it was renamed the Landesamt für archäologische Denkmalpflege, and in 1997 the Landesamt für Archäologie, Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte, Sachsen-Anhalt. Since January 1, 2004, the museum has operated as a department within the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology of Saxony-Anhalt.

The collection encompasses over 15 million finds, representing archaeological discoveries from Saxony-Anhalt. Its permanent exhibition presents these artifacts in chronological order, spanning from the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods through the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. In late 2012, the exhibition was expanded to include the Middle and Late Bronze Age as well as the Early Iron Age, continuing the timeline up to the Middle Ages and early modern period. In addition to archaeological objects, the museum houses a specialized library. A garden area has featured an open-air exhibition since 1932, and a media room with a cinema screen seating approximately 40 people was opened in 2010.

The museum's most famous exhibit is the Nebra sky disk, a Unetice culture artifact that has been on permanent display since May 23, 2008. Other signature pieces include the Eulau family graves from the Corded Ware culture and the Hornhausen rider stone from Francia. The museum also preserves the Mesolithic burial of a woman known as the Bad Dürrenberg shaman. Additionally, the collection contains the Gröbern forest elephant and, since 1955, the first mammoth skeleton displayed in the permanent exhibition.

The museum building, constructed between 1911 and 1913, was the first purpose-built museum structure for prehistory in Germany. The city of Halle provided the land free of charge. The architectural design was conceived by Wilhelm Kreis, drawing inspiration from the Porta Nigra in Trier. Detailed plans were supplied by director Karl Reuß and state building officer Otto Ruprecht, while Paul Thiersch created the staircase murals. The building was inaugurated on October 9, 1918, and received heritage protection status in 1983. After extensive renovations, the museum reopened on May 23, 2008, with a newly designed permanent exhibition.

The museum is located in Halle (Saale), Germany. It operates as a department of the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology of Saxony-Anhalt. The institution is part of the Himmelswege (Sky Paths) tourist route, which connects the museum and the Nebra sky disk with other regional archaeological sites, including the Goseck circular enclosure, the Pömmelte circular enclosure, and the Langeneichstädt megalithic tomb. The museum has attracted substantial public interest over the years, welcoming its one-millionth visitor in 1984, and hosting major special exhibitions such as the 2011-2012 Pompeii show that drew roughly 224,000 visitors and later traveled to Madrid and Munich.