This smart gallery is a treasure trove for aficionados of surrealism, a fantastical art form that peaked in the 1920s. It introduces works by the main protagonists – Max Ernst, René Magritte and Salvador Dalí, among others – and provides context by examining surreal aspects introduced by earlier artists. These include Goya's spooky etchings and the creepy dungeon scenes by Italian engraver Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Post-WWII surrealist interpretations are represented by Jean Dubuffet.
The collection is housed in the 19th-century barracks of the Gardes du Corps, the officers who served as the personal bodyguards of the Prussian king.