Musée d'ethnographie de Neuchâtel, Ethnographic museum in Neuchâtel, Switzerland
The Musée d'ethnographie de Neuchâtel is an ethnographic museum housing around 50,000 artifacts from different regions across the world. Half the collection represents African cultures and traditions, while the remaining holdings include objects from Asia, the Americas, and Oceania.
The museum was founded in 1904 after James-Ferdinand de Pury donated his villa on Saint-Nicolas hill to create a space for ethnographic collections. This act marked the beginning of an institution dedicated to gathering and displaying objects from cultures worldwide.
The collection displays items gathered through scientific expeditions, diplomatic gifts, and contributions from travelers who documented various societies. These objects tell stories of craftsmanship, rituals, and daily life from people across many continents.
The museum occupies a historic villa alongside modern buildings that expand the exhibition spaces. During your visit, you should explore the different rooms to see the full range of collections.
The museum features a dedicated exhibition space called the Black Box, completed in 1955, which contains a large fresco by Swiss artist Hans Erni. This artwork defines the modern wing of the institution and creates a striking contrast with the villa's older architecture.
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