BlackBox Cold War Museum
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The Black Box is a flat, black, box-shaped building located a few metres from Checkpoint Charlie. The structure is dedicated to the Cold War and features authentic exhibits. Whether it is rearmament, hostile confrontations, the world on the brink of nuclear war, or spectacular espionage, the events of this era become tangible in the heart of the city - and are reflected in this unusual building.
An armed confrontation between the Americans and the Russians at Checkpoint Charlie occurs in 1961, escalating the tensions between East and West. Since 2006, an open-air museum dedicated to this subject has been located on that very spot. In 2012, the Black Box opens on adjacent grounds, serving as a provisional exhibit until a Museum of the Cold War is built on this historic location. As you approach the building, you will note the dark walls contrasting with light grey, multilingual phrases like, "Cold War", "Espionage", "Peace" and "Democracy". This immediately gives you a hint of what to expect inside; unsettling exhibitions documenting of the history of this area between 1945 and 1990. But the horror quickly turns into curiosity: What does the black box contain? The first hint is in the name itself: as a black box of an aeroplane, the exhibition records the development of the Cold War. Dive into the past through historical film excerpts. Interviews with witnesses of that time give a personal touch. From viewing the photos and documents on display you can sense the frightening reality of such a globally threatening political situation. Original objects convey the story of life on the threshold of war. A radiation dosimeter for the measurement of radioactivity and a Soviet photo gun, used for military reconnaissance, are just some of the 500 relics exhibited.
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