- published: 12 Jun 2012
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Museum Island (German: Museumsinsel) is the name of the northern half of an island in the Spree river in the central Mitte district of Berlin, Germany, the site of the old city of Cölln. It is so called for the complex of five internationally significant museums, all part of the Berlin State Museums, that occupy the island's northern part:
In 1999, the museum complex was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
A first exhibition hall was erected in 1797 at the suggestion of the archaeologist Aloys Hirt. In 1822, Schinkel designed the plans for the Altes Museum to house the royal Antikensammlung, the arrangement of the collection was overseen by Wilhelm von Humboldt. The island, originally a residential area, was dedicated to "art and science" by King Frederick William IV of Prussia in 1841. Further extended under succeeding Prussian kings, the museum's collections of art and archeology were turned into a public foundation after 1918. They are today maintained by the Berlin State Museums branch of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation.
Emma-Lee Moss (born c. 1984), known by her stage name Emmy the Great, is a London-based singer-songwriter. She has released two albums, First Love and Virtue.
Moss was born in Hong Kong to an English father and a Chinese mother. Interested in music from a young age, she used to go by train to her nearest Tower Records shop so that she could buy the only non-Chinese music they had and, as a result, she developed a liking for bands such as Weezer, The Smashing Pumpkins, and The Lemonheads.
While in Hong Kong, she attended primary school in Kowloon.
She emigrated with her family to London at the age of 12. She attended the Michael Hall Rudolf Steiner School in West Sussex.[citation needed]
Moss is dating Tim Wheeler of the band Ash, as revealed on 6 Music's coverage of Glastonbury Festival 2011, where they did an interview, followed by a cover of a Pixies track together.
She has performed with indie folk groups Lightspeed Champion and Noah and the Whale, but is primarily known for her solo work. She first emerged under the name Emmy the Great in 2004, when she released a series of free demos over the internet. She says the moniker came about when "[she] wanted to be a backing singer and [...] wanted to have something to hand to people... ‘Emmy’ is a name they called me at university, which I hated, and ‘the Great’ I added on because I hated ‘Emmy’ so much." She formed a backing band which currently includes Euan Hinshelwood of Younghusband, Glenn Kerrigan of So Say So, Tom Rogerson of Three Trapped Tigers and Ric Hollingbery of Pengilly's, and has previously included members of Noah and the Whale and Johnny Flynn.