International Museum of the Reformation
The International Museum of the Reformation ( IMR for short , French Musée international de la Réforme ) is a Swiss museum in the old town of Geneva . It shows the history of the Reformation in 14 thematically arranged exhibition rooms, which are spread over an area of 350 m 2 in the "Mallet House".
Based on archival documents and a collection of paintings, the museum is intended to offer visitors a detailed chronicle of the Reformation, from its origins to the present day. The collection consists essentially of manuscripts, etchings, caricatures, Bibles and old books. A particularly valuable exhibit is a French Bible that was printed in 1535.
history
The International Museum of the Reformation, which opened on April 15, 2005 and whose concept was designed by the Geneva priest Max Dominicé at the beginning of the 1960s, was realized under the project management of Olivier Fatio in the "Mallet House". This patrician house was built in 1723 by the French banker Mallet , who came to Geneva as a refugee. It is located in the place where the cloister of the Canons of the Cathedral of St. Peter of Geneva used to stand. It was there that the people of Geneva accepted the Reformation on May 21, 1536 . The director is the Protestant theologian Isabelle Graesslé .
Museum design
The museum shows the history of the Reformation, which began with the protest of the German Martin Luther in 1517 and was adopted by Johannes Calvin in Geneva in 1536. It not only reproduces this section of history from a religious point of view, but also shows the cultural and social aspects, the effects of which can still be felt. The visitors are introduced to the most important events, which represent the basis for the various Calvinist religious movements that still exist today . The scientific content was overseen by Professor Olivier Fatio, the museum's founder. The elements concerning Catholicism have been partially oversubscribed (especially the question of indulgences); the Calvinist doctrine, on the other hand, such as the double predestination , is presented affirmatively. The museum design also uses audiovisual technology to represent the various themes.
The International Museum of the Reformation has more than 25,000 visitors a year. It also offers opportunities for conversations to understand the question of religiosity in our day and for dialogue between different religious denominations or traditions.
Themes and collections
The Bible is one of the subjects that are presented; In a room with the same name there are old manuscripts, the “polemical argument” with original caricatures, “Geneva from Calvin” with handwritten notes and many books, the “Theological Banquet” and its pictures by great theologians, and the “Revocation of the Edict von Nantes ”with the etchings of the desert and the refuge. 19th century painting is also represented with works such as the portrait of Calvin by Albert Anker or that of Calvin's death by Joseph Hornung.
The items and documents on display come from a variety of sources, including the Calvin Library, the Library of Geneva, the Protestant Church of Geneva and numerous private donors. Jean Paul Barbier-Müller made an important contribution by donating a series of valuable historical books and polemical writings on the wars of religion in the 16th century. His gift includes the complete series of contemporary “Political Speeches” by the poet Pierre de Ronsard , as well as original handwritten letters from leaders of the Wars of Religion such as Catherine de Medici , Charles IX. , Heinrich III. , Heinrich IV. , Michel de L'Hospital etc. A previously unpublished letter from Johannes Calvin from 1545 is also part of this collection.
Music, the art preferred by the Geneva Reformation, is also presented: Huguenot psalms, Lutheran chants and chants from the Reformed churches from overseas can be heard in one room.
Museum Prize 2007 of the Council of Europe
In April 2007 the International Museum of the Reformation received the Council of Europe Museum Prize . This award has been presented every year since 1977 to an institution that has made a notable contribution to knowledge of the European cultural heritage. This prize, which is intended to encourage a better understanding of the rich diversity of European culture, is awarded by the Culture, Science and Education Commission of the European Parliament on the basis of recommendations by the European Museum Forum and is endowed with 5000 euros.
The IMR was honored for the "quality of its publications on the history of the Reformation, as well as for the appropriate use of a high-standing symbolic place, namely the Mallet House, a building from the 18th century where the Reformation was accepted in 1536". Through the award, a bronze statue of The Woman with Beautiful Breasts by Joan Mirò will be made available for one year. The award ceremony took place in April 2007 in the Rohan Palace in Strasbourg on the occasion of the spring session of the European Parliament .
The Calvin Jubilee
On the occasion of the 500th birthday of Johannes Calvin , the International Museum of the Reformation offered various events from Easter to the end of October 2009. The main event was an exhibition A Day in the Life of Calvin , which was intended to enable visitors to follow the daily routine of Calvin realistically - similar to a documentary film. This temporary exhibition took place from April 24th to October 31st, 2009 in the museum courtyard and in the hall of the parish society on the ground floor.
In eight pavilions (2 mx 2 m), Calvin's life was shown during a day: from his awakening at 4:00 a.m. to his bedtime at 9:00 p.m., through the divine service in Saint Peter , a meeting of the consistory or a decisive discussion between Michel Servet and the Reformer. In each pavilion one could hear the voices of Calvin, his friends and his opponents, as well as the noise of the city and discover not only the life of the people but also the daily life of Geneva at that time. One saw Calvin three-dimensional, excited, speaking, in the family contemporary environment. Some etchings, objects and books from the 16th century were also on display.
Finances
The museum has a budget of 4.1 million Swiss francs, the funds come from private donors as well as from local authorities.
See also
literature
- Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller: La Parole et les armes. Chronique des Guerres de religion en France. 1562-1598. Hazan, Paris 2006.
- Olivier Fatio: Comprendre la Réforme. Unitinéraire proposé par le musée international de la Réforme. Musée international de la Réforme, Geneva 2005.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Museum tip ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) accessed on June 22, 2011.
Coordinates: 46 ° 12 '5.4 " N , 6 ° 8' 54" E ; CH1903: 500407 / 117492