1685 Der Baumeister Johann Arnold Nering erhält vom brandenburgischen Kurfürsten Friedrich Wilhelm den Auftrag, neben dem Potsdamer Stadtschloss eine Orangerie (Pomeranzenhaus) zu bauen - als Winterquartier für mediterrane Pflanzen aus dem Lustgarten.
1714 König Friedrich Wilhelm I. lässt einen Teil des Lustgartens zum Exerzierplatz planieren, aus der Orangerie wird ein Pferdestall.
1746 Sanssouci-Architekt Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff leitet im Auftrag von Friedrich II. Umbau und Erweiterung des Marstalls, der plastische Schmuck über den Eingängen wird von Friedrich Christian Glume geschaffen.
1922 176 Jahre war das Haus als Pferdestall genutzt worden. Nach der Abdankung von Kaiser Wilhelm II. werden die Pferde 1918 versteigert, im Gebäude wird ein Garnisonsmuseum eingerichtet.
1927 Der Potsdamer Kunstverein stellt im Marstall aus.
1945 Das Haus wird durch einen britischen Luftangriff beschädigt.
1948 Nach provisorischer Instandsetzung zeigt das Städtische Museum die erste historische Ausstellung der Nachkriegszeit.
1961 Die Ruinen des Stadtschlosses werden gesprengt. Der Marstall, einziges Rudiment des preußischen Stadtschlossensembles, bleibt als Notunterkunft und Depot des Heimatmuseums erhalten
1968 Die Ruinen der Garnisonskirche werden gesprengt.
Potsdam's municipal council is informed about the idea of the establishment of a film museum.
1977
The municipal council decides to establish a film museum in the dilapidated building of the royal stables - the Marstall - in Potsdam's historical city centre. Extensive restoration and reconstruction work begins.
1981Upon opening, the "Film Museum of the GDR" offers an exhibition on technical equipment and shows films in its cinema.
1983
A permanent exhibition on Ufa and DEFA history is opened on the ground floor of the Marstall. Travelling exhibitions on DEFA films and an ambitious film programme supplement the offers.
1987
The travelling exhibition on director Wolfgang Staudte, first shown in Düsseldorf, is the first inter-German joint venture in the context of the cultural conventions between GDR and FRG.
1990
A GDR regulation requiring the film museum to exclusively collect film and cinema technology becomes invalid. The collections are given their own location, stocks are growing fast. Estates of former DEFA members are acquired. A new staff is running the museum and its departments.
1
991
The film museum, so far a branch of the
State Palaces und Gardens Potsdam-Sanssouci, becomes a museum of the federal state. The Marstall becomes a cultural centre featuring film festivals, media projects, seminars, conferences, discussions and, of course, attractive exhibitions. Film talks with contemporary witnesses of the DEFA years supplement the collections.
1992First international exhibition in cooperation with the Institut Français.
1993
The interior of the Marstall is rebuilt according to international museum standards, and the restored
Welte Cinema Organ is integrated into the cinema.
1994
The second permanent exhibition "Film City Babelsberg" is opened and the film museum publishes a book on DEFA film history, which is to become a standard work of reference. The redecorated café becomes a cultural meeting point.
1995
The cinema is reopened after reconstruction measures. It has been equipped with a
state-of-the-art sound system.
1999
The cinema is equipped with two new Ernemann projectors.
2001
The museum celebrates its
20th anniversary with a party and a
book on the technology collection.
2002
Funding that has been granted on the occasion of the anniversary for the first part of the permanent exhibition is released. Work on the exhibition "Babelsberg -Faces of a Film Metropolis" is running at top speed.
2004
On 1 April, the ribbon is cut at the third permanent exhibition "Babelsberg -Faces of a Film Metropolis". In this context, the redecoration of the foyer is carried out by Potsdam artist Steffen Mühle.
2005
On 1 June, the family exhibition "Fairyland Babelsberg" is opened.
2006
In April, the museum celebrates its 25th anniversary. On this occasion, the Federal State of Brandenburg donates financial support to equip the cinema with new seats, lamps, carpets and a beamer by the end of the year.
2007
The cinema has been equipped with new chairs and looks better than ever. All digital equipment is up-to-date. Plans are made to rebuild the Brandenburg State Parliament at the site of the former city castle - to which the Marstall once belonged. The reconstruction of the surrounding streets also requires the replanning of the museum forecourt.
2008
The reconstruction of the streets surrounding the museum begins. In autumn, the new, golden FILMMUSEUM POSTDAM logo is mounted above the museum entrance.
For the first time ever, the museum presents an exhibition on a Studio Babelsberg production - the children's film "Hexe Lilli" - before its theatrical release.
2009
October sees the completion of the reconstruction of the streets that accompanies the rebuilding of the Brandenburg State Parliament at the site of the city castle.
The museum forecourt has been redesigned. On the occasion of Sandmann's 50th birthday, the museum presents its 5th Sandmann exhibition in its 28-year history. Once again, visitors pour into the museum.
2011
Prior to the opening of the new permanent exhibition "The Dream Factory - 100 Years of Film in Babelsberg" on 3 November, preparations (which started in 2008) are in full swing.
In May, a state of the art 2K digital cinema projector was installed in the cinemas screening rooming. From now on, in addition to analog prints, all digital film formats can be brought to the screen.
On 1 July, the museum - an institution of the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture up to this point - is integrated into Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF.
2013/14 Renewing of the fire alarm/safety system.
2015 Reopening of the restaurant "Genusswerkstatt"
