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Historical Museums

  • Jacques BERLIOZ, 5 March 2011 | 6 September 2009

    The websites of historical museums, although they often give indispensible information (location, exhibitions) are generally very disappointing (with the exception of the museums of Basel and Lausanne), with few images available online, no thematic sections, or digitised catalogues.

    - Historisches Museum Basel (Basel Historical Museum)
    Language: German

    An excellent, very comprehensive site for the historical museum of Basel, including all the necessary information concerning the museum (including a guestbook). 500 photos of objects, many of which are from the Middle Ages (archaeology, militaria, ceramics, musical instruments, glass, textiles, games, etc.). It is possible to zoom in on the photos, which are accompanied with very detailed captions.

    - Historische Museum Bern (Bern Historical Museum), ville de Berne, canton de Berne
    Languages: French, German, English

    The very comprehensive site of the Berne Historical Museum. This website is updated very frequently, and events are noted in the form of a logbook. Each event is presented well and in detail. There is even a small online boutique. That said, not many images are available online, and there is no digital catalogue available.

    - Lausanne Historical Museum, canton de Vaud
    Languages: French, German, English

    - Musée historique de Vevey (Vevey, Vaud)
    Language: French

    This official site of Vevey Historical Museum provides essential (but brief) information on the museum, which holds both medieval objects and medieval manuscripts.

    - Museen in Schwyz (Historical Museum of Schwyz, canton of Schwyz)

    Links to the three historical museums of the canton of Schwyz, whose sites are independent, namely: (1) the Swiss History Forum; (2) the museum of federal charters (concerning the confederal charter of 1291); (3) The Ital Reding Property (a seventeenth-century baroque house).
    A basic description of the Museums, and details of their locations and addresses. Not much information.

    - Gruérien Museum: History, arts and traditions of the Gruyère (Bulle, canton of Fribourg)
    Languages: French, German, English

    The site, which is frequently updated is divided into three parts: Museum (introductory information, contacts etc.), Friends of the Museum, and Library. The Museum does not occupy very much of the site. It could perhaps have been assigned more space. There is not much information on the museum. Nonetheless, specifications of time and location are very detailed. The page is not available in Italian.

    - Fribourg Art and History Museum
    Languages: French, German, English

    A part of the official site of the canton dedicated to the museum. Essential information. Aspects not directly linked to the strictly academic activity of the museum (introductory courses, activities for families). A limited site.

    - Geneva Art and History Museum
    Language: French

    Minimal but essential information on the museum (exhibitions etc.)

    - NIKE: National Information Centre for the Conservation of Cultural Property, Bern
    Languages: German, French

    The national centre for the conservation of cultural property (Nationale Informationsstelle für Kulturgüter-Erhaltung) is a hub of information in the field of the conservation of material cultural property in Switzerland. The Support Association for NIKE is made up of 31 specialised organisations and societies open to the public. The Centre’s task is to encourage the exchange of knowledge between disciplines and to inform public opinion. Events such as the ‘European Heritage Day’, congresses and the NIKE Bulletin encourage the user to familiarise his or herself with many different aspects of the cultural heritage of Switzerland. A very useful site for links to official organisations, associations and inventory organisations, concerned with heritage conservation.

    - Schlossmuseum Thun (Thun Castle Museum, Thun, Bern canton)
    Languages: German, English

    Site of Thun Historical Museum. Minimal information.
    The description of the museum’s location is not very clear.

    - Schweizerische Nationalmuseen (Swiss National Museum)
    Languages: German, French, English, Italian

    This site is dedicated to Swiss national museums, with different sections dedicated to different museums (National Museum of Switzerland, Zurich; Château de Prangins; Customs and Excise Museum, Cantine di Gandria (nothing medieval); Forum of Swiss History (since 1300), Schwyz; Museum of Automatons, Seewen, ‘a charming locality in the canton of Soleure’ (for commemoration); Château de Wildegg, situated between Aarau and Brugg, a thirteenth-century fortress which was transformed into a baroque residence in the seventeenth century… ; the Museum of the Bärengasse, Zurich (concerning the town in the eighteenth century); the House of Corporations, Zurich : ‘situated on the banks of the Limmat a stone’s throw from the Fraumünster, the ideal location in which to present the elegant statuettes and porcelain vases made in the workshop of Kilchberg-Schooren near Zurich (1763-1790)’. Includes all the necessary information. There is also the possibility to go on a virtual tour of the museums.


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