Collection

The Historical Museum Thun was founded in 1885 on the initiative of the residents’ association and opened in 1888 in the Knights’ Hall of the keep. At first it mainly showed permanent loans from the Burgergemeinde and the town of Thun – tapestries, banners and weapons, supplemented by private collections.

Among the highlights are the Medallion and Velsche tapestries, the heraldic tapestry from the Burgundian spoils, the militaria collection and the heraldic panels of the Thun governors – including the scratched-out Bernese coat of arms that fell victim to Napoleon’s invasion.

A special focus is the ceramics collection, above all the Thun majolica (around 1871–1914) – the largest and most important reference collection of national significance. Thanks to the CERAMICA Foundation Basel, the ceramics collection is being digitised and made accessible online.

Today, collecting focuses on Thunensia and the Bernese Oberland. The main part of the collection is cared for scientifically in external depots.