And that was where the trouble started.

In September, the Berlin police were called to one of the parties at the museum to deal with a violent incident between security staff and guests, and the event was closed early.

Video footage, which circulated on Facebook and Instagram, showed a partygoer, Shaun Bass, being dragged along the floor and out of the venue by two security staff, and kicked by another female bouncer. In an exchange of Facebook messages with The New York Times, Bass said he was sober at the time and had not been aggressive. “To be treated in this way is insane,” he said.

Another guest, Simon Kaiser, a Berlin club promoter, said the same female staff member hit him in the head and threatened him.

The incident revealed an ugly mismatch between the relaxed and tolerant atmosphere portrayed in the exhibition, and the heavy-handed security around it. Berlin’s clubs thrive on a permissive, D.I.Y. vibe that lets guests feel safe — but some partygoers and activists say overzealous security staff are ruining the tolerant vibe.