Geneva Museum of Ethnography (MEG) was established on 25th September 1901, based on the initiative of Professor Eugène Pittard (1867 – 1962), the first one becoming Dean of Anthropology at the University of Geneva.
An incredible architectonic museum:
MEG is actually conserving about 74.000 objects, 20.000 phonograms and 100.000 images, of which 1.000 pieces have been chosen as objects of the permanent exhibition.
There are 6 floors in total at MEG, right behind the entrance are the lobby, a gift shop and a café. Although the permanent exposition is free for public, you should check out the reception for more information about their ongoing events. Here you would also be recommended to start your adventure from the bottom of the museum, which is -2nd floor, because this is where the biggest expositions are held. Therefore, the underground halls are the most attractive places which hold you back for the longest. Let’s get started!
The marvelous underground exhibitions:
The -1st floor is where some small temporary exhibitions can be happening. Besides, there are a foyer, an auditorium and a cloakroom on this floor. You need a coin of 1 EUR or 1 CHF to be able to lock the cupboard and it will be back for you the moment you take out your stuff. If you have no coin, do not hesitate asking the museum staffs to lend you a fake one.
The lowest floor is divided into 2 parts: Hall A in which the museum’s permanent exposition is displayed, and Hall B where their big temporary ones can be found.
Hall A of one among the most interesting museum in Switzerland has 5 different sections corresponding to 5 continents. Not only this helps visitors to gain more knowledge about the history of formation and development of peoples in each continent, but it is also an opportunity to compare them to see their differences as well as their similarities. Ethnographic culture when being compared in general, is usually considered in these following aspects: evolution, costume, aliment, belief – religion, work and finally, hobby. At MEG, all these fields are actualized to transmit every essential thing that we need to know to be able to understand the ancient lives of peoples all around the world.
A glorious actualization of the various knowledge source:
About the evolutionary process, the museum has files as well as bone specimens, archaeological artifacts with ages and descriptions written in both English and French. Regard to the aliments, MEG shows us the tools that our ancestors used to hunt, to cook and to decorate theirs foods,… Concerning the costumes, all the clothing, accessories and decorations exposed at MEG are entirely in a good condition. Moreover, the museum has a great number of costume collections from different ethnicities. Related to belief and religion, it is important not to lose sight of the rituals of birth and especially, of death and thereby, numerous documentaries and objects are exposed to actualize as realistically as possible.
On the other hand, there are a small cinema, a workspace and a music room on the highest floors of the museum. Here can be found a lot of electrical devices which support visitors in perceiving knowledge of traditional musics from different peoples in all over the world. Another interesting part of the museum is the library which stores a profusion of documents and books written in French and English about ethnography, anthropology, archaeology, history of humanity, religious studies,… They are all there waiting for you to discover.
A must-go address:
Geneva Museum of Ethnography is an unmissable place to visit when you come to the city. These exhibitions here not only bring us more knowledge about the ethnography, but they also help us to distinguish the interferences of the different ethnicities together with their dissimilarities.
Hoping you have great visits to this amazing museum,
Geneva, 28/02/2019.
Points of Vu 