Rath Museum

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Facade of the Rath Museum

The Musée Rath is an art museum in Geneva . Since 1910 it has only presented special exhibitions.

It is located on Place Neuve ( Neuer Platz ), just in front of the old city walls and next to the Grand Théâtre (Geneva Opera) and the Conservatoire de musique (music college).

It was built from 1824 to 1826 by the architect Samuel Vaucher based on the model of Greek temples. General Simon Rath (1766-1819) had bequeathed a large sum to his sisters Jeanne and Henriette Rath “to create something useful for his country that would bear his name ”. The Rath sisters opted for a museum, and the Société des arts (art society) built this with their donation and the aid of the Geneva State. The museum has been owned by the city of Geneva since 1851.

The Musée Rath was the first specially built art museum in Switzerland. In the beginning, the museum served for permanent exhibitions, special exhibitions, cultural meetings and art education. From 1880 the museum was too small for the collections. Since the inauguration of the Musée d'art et d'histoire in 1910, the Musée Rath has been dedicated to special exhibitions.

Between 1916 and 1919 and from 1939 the museum was closed and the building was used for the ICRC's International Central Office for Prisoners of War .

The building has been a listed building since 1921.

literature

Web links

Commons : Musée Rath  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 46 ° 12 '6.3 "  N , 6 ° 8' 36.8"  E ; CH1903:  500038  /  117525