Verwalterhaus

It takes a walk through the quiet, overgrown paths of the Alter Friedhof St. Marien – St. Nicolai to reach the front door. Sitting just off the busy thoroughfare near Alexanderplatz, the Verwalterhaus operates within the former residence of the cemetery administrator. It isn’t a polished white-cube gallery; the interior remains deliberately rough, with scarred walls and peeling paint serving as the backdrop for contemporary work. Since 2014, a collective of artists and writers led by curator Niels Beugeling has used these domestic rooms to stage changing exhibitions. You move through the original layout of the house, viewing art in small, domestic spaces rather than open halls. Photography often takes center stage here, though the schedule regularly includes video installations, sculptures, and literary readings. The building itself acts as a participant in the shows – artists frequently adapt their work to fit the texture and history of the specific rooms, treating the house as a sounding body for their themes. Information panels near the entrance outline the site's past, including the tenure of an administrator who lived here for nearly half a century. Visits tend to be quiet and unhurried, usually combined with a stroll through the surrounding cemetery grounds. Admission is typically free, with a donation box supporting the continued operation of the space.