Print this article  Recommend to a friend

The Swiss National Museum, Zurich
The 19th century is generally regarded as the century of nations and nation states While other countries were busily erecting memorials, monuments and institutions, though, the young federal state of Switzerland struggled with the idea of setting up a national museum

Plans to create one met with widespread scepticism, and there were also entirely pragmatic reasons for rejecting the enterprise The country’s neighbours already had something to put in their museums, in the form of a ducal, royal or imperial collection; Switzerland had nothing comparable Almost every one of the 25 cantons had its own collection based on old armoury collections and cabinets of curiosities, reflecting the federal character of the young state

It was National Council member Salomon Vögelin of Zurich who, with his motion of 9 July 1883, launched discussion on the founding of a national museum Encouraged by the popularity of the national art exhibition organised as part of the Swiss national exhibition in Zurich, he submitted his proposal to the Federal Council

After much wrangling over the proposed site of the Swiss National Museum, Zurich finally won through in 1891, seeing off its rivals Lucerne, Basel and Bern The young architect Gustav Gull drew on various historicising architectural features from the late medieval period and the modern era, combining them to create a single whole The design of the Swiss National Museum was intended to express a unity between collection, exhibition and architecture It was also combined with a school of art, thereby satisfying a further important requirement of the era: having both institutions side by side, allowing the past to act as an example and an inspiration for the work of students

Today, the Swiss National Museum is regarded as one of the outstanding 19th-century constructions of its type, and an architectural monument of national importance

Shortage of space and plans for expansion
Not long after the museum was completed, it was already evident that space was in short supply The first expansion plans were discussed in 1933-35, 1945, 1962 and 1965-1974 In 1973, the city of Zurich handed over ownership of the land and the buildings to the Confederation, together with a payment of Fr 6 million to cover the duty of maintenance that went with them

Outlook: renovation work

The first stage will see the reopening in 2009 of the completely renovated station wing, with its prominent columned halls on the ground floor and the Ruhmeshalle (Hall of Fame) on the upper floor Visitors to the Swiss National Museum will then be greeted by a completely redesigned permanent exhibition The original idea of maintaining a unity between collection, exhibition and architecture, however, has proved impossible to preserve As a result, there will not be a single, continuous permanent exhibition, but rather two exhibitions each covering an area of 1,200 m2: one on the collection and its history, and the other on the history of Switzerland

The reconfiguration of the station wing will also have a beneficial impact on the future design of the west wing The majority of the exhibits currently displayed there will be integrated into the two new permanent exhibitions The “emptying" of the west wing will enable this area to regain its full importance, just as architect Gustav Gull had intended, and will also give a more central role to the display collections

Outlook: the extension

The extension is planned as a place for the study collections, the library as well as temporary and special exhibitions In contrast to Gull’s construction, it will feature more neutral exhibition rooms of different heights, which will manifest themselves in the opening up of elements old and new and in the use of ramps and staircases to connect rooms and room functions

The partners involved in planning the annex – the architects Christ & Gantenbein, the Confederation as commissioning authority and the museum's management – agreed to rethink and rework the competition project The building commission approved this move in May 2007 The cantonal and city building authorities in Zurich also welcomed the changes to the architects’ plans The revised version of the project now envisages the preservation of the old buildings, including the applied art wing, in their entirety, reduces the total usable area of the new construction by one third, and opens up a line of sight between the Platzspitz park and the museum courtyard

History of Château de Prangins
Built in 1730 in the French style, Château de Prangins has enjoyed a rich and varied history Initially a seat of baronial power, it became first the place of refuge of a prince, then a boys’ boarding school and subsequently a private residence, before finally passing to the Confederation in 1975 as a gift from the cantons of Vaud and Geneva Château de Prangins was completely restored before reopening as a museum It opened its doors to the public in 1998, the year in which the Swiss National Museum celebrated the 100th anniversary of its foundation

History of the Forum of Swiss History
Since 1995, a site once occupied by a granary and later by an arsenal has been home to the Forum of Swiss History Located in Schwyz, this is the central Swiss base of the Swiss National Museums, and depicts the everyday life of the Swiss Confederates, from the wars of liberation fought by the three original cantons around 1300 to the end of the ancien régime in 1800 Numerous temporary exhibitions and a diverse range of events complement the exhibition and link it to its immediate surroundings, the Swiss interior

History of Wildegg castle
The first official mention of a fortress at Wildegg dates back to the 13th century In 1483 the building was acquired by Kaspar Effinger, who had rendered great services in the battle against Charles the Bold at Murten in 1476 The fortress was repeatedly burnt down and rebuilt over the centuries In the 18th century, when such fortified constructions were no longer needed, the fortifications were gradually dismantled and the fortress was converted into a castle and expanded Wildegg castle remained in the hands of the Effinger family until 1912 In that year, the last female representative of the family, Julie von Effinger, left Wildegg castle, its gardens, meadows, fields and woods, to the Confederation Wildegg castle has been run as a public museum since 1917