Excavation activity in Ctesiphon, Samarra[1] and Tabgha, as well as acquisition opportunities, led to Egypt, the Foreign Orient and Iran in particular being important focal points.

Other regions are represented by important collection objects or groups, such as the calligraphy and miniature painting from the Mughal Empire or the sicilian ivory works of art.

The most notable pieces of the collection, which are kept variously because of their size, historical significance, or popularity with museum visitors, are: In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum also shows exhibitions of modern art from the Islamic world, in 2008, for example, "Turkish Delight" (contemporary Turkish design) and "Naqsh" (gender and role models in Iran).

[8] The museum was founded in 1904 by Wilhelm von Bode as the Islamic Department in the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum (today's Bode-Museum) and initially established by Friedrich Sarre as honorary director.

Despite the removal of artworks and the securing of objects remaining in the Pergamon Museum, the collection suffered damage and losses.

The holdings that had been removed to the western occupation zones were returned to the museum in Dahlem, where they were also reexhibited in 1954 for the first time after the war.

A newly designed permanent exhibition was opened on the upper floor of the south wing in the Pergamon Museum in 2000.