Berlin to Open First Museum and Library Dedicated to Street Art

Urban Nation, the first museum for contemporary urban art, will open in Berlin's Schöneberg district on September 16, 2017. It emerges from the Urban Nation association, which since 2013 has invited street artists worldwide to engage with the city's urban fabric. The museum will offer exhibitions, workshops, educational programs for children and students, and support for scholars. Its collection stems from contributions and donations by artists who participated in Urban Nation projects. Inside the museum, the Martha Cooper Library will house a core collection donated by photographer Martha Cooper, comprising over 5,000 books and objects on street art. Cooper, known for documenting graffiti's rise in the 1970s and 1980s while working for the Post, emphasized photography's role in preserving street art, which is vulnerable to urban change. The library is open to researchers and the public, and contributions to its collection are welcome.