The Building

The facilities of the Forschungsmuseum Koenig consist of buildings, animal cages and houses and park areas that date from different times and served for different purposes. Because of its scientific and historical importance the entire complex is listed as an historic monument.
 
The southernmost building forms the oldest part, the so called villa. It served as residence for Alexander Koenig and also housed his first collections. The actual building is younger, as the villa was partly rebuilt after its destruction at the end of World War II. Today vertebrate sections and collections are accommodated here.
 
Further north, the villa is connected to the former private museum (Ornithological Museum) which was commissioned by Alexander Koenig in 1898 and opened in 1900. Today it houses mainly Museum Koenig's extensive bird collections.
 
In 1912 the Ornithological Museum was extended by a spacious museum building. The main building still houses the exhibitions and part of the scientific departments. After a lengthy and thorough renovation, this building was re-opened to the public in 2003.
 
Behind the main museum building, an annex was constructed and opened in 2006. It is connected to the main building by a glass bridge. The so-called Clas M. Naumann Building houses all arthropod collections and associated offices and laboratories as well as the main library and seminar room.