Collection

Thun Castle was built around 1200 by Berchtold V of Zähringen and has since undergone numerous changes of ownership, structural modifications and various uses. After the Zähringen dynasty, the donjon first passed to the Kyburgs and later to the city-state of Bern. As the seat of the mayor, Thun Castle served as a courthouse, granary and prison. In 1888, the Historical Museum was opened in the Knights’ Hall of the donjon.

The founding of the museum was prompted by various developments. There were already calls for a historical museum in the first half of the 19th century. In 1883, armorial carpets and other historical objects were discovered in Thun Town Hall, which were valued by experts at the University of Bern. The proposal to store these carpets in the Bern Art Museum strengthened the desire for Thun to have its own museum. Thus, on March 11, 1885, the Thun Historical Museum was founded on the initiative of the residents’ association. In 1978, the Castle Museum Association took over the management of the museum. 15 years later, the Castle Museum Foundation, which has managed the museum ever since, was established. Since 2013, the foundation has been called Stiftung Schloss Thun – das Museumsschloss.

When the museum was founded, there was still no suitable location available.
In 1886, however, a new prison was opened on the Schlossberg, which at the same time provided a solution to the space problem.After extensive renovation work, the museum was able to present its collection to the public in the Knights’ Hall in 1888.Over time, due to the growing collection, more and more floors of the donjon were used for exhibition purposes.The museum thus developed into the Thun Castle Historical Museum, whereby it was linked to the architectural monument of the donjon.
Initially, the main items on display were permanent loans from the Burgergemeinde and the town of Thun, including carpets, flags and weapons, supplemented by smaller private collections.Today, the collection comprises more than 17,000 objects dating from the Neolithic period to the 20th century.Around 600 of these exhibits can be seen in the permanent exhibition in the Donjon.

When the museum was founded, there was still no suitable location available. In 1886, however, a new prison was opened on the Schlossberg, which at the same time provided a solution to the space problem.After extensive renovation work, the museum was able to present its collection to the public in the Knights’ Hall in 1888.Over time, due to the growing collection, more and more floors of the donjon were used for exhibition purposes.The museum thus developed into the Thun Castle Historical Museum, whereby it was linked to the architectural monument of the donjon.

Initially, it was mainly permanent loans from the Burgergemeinde and the town of Thun that were exhibited, including carpets, flags and weapons, supplemented by smaller private collections.Today, the collection comprises more than 17,000 objects dating from the Neolithic period to the 20th century.Around 600 of these exhibits can be seen in the permanent exhibition in the Donjon.

The exhibition begins in the basement with the theme of urban development, while the objects from the Thun Town Hall collection take center stage on the second floor.These include the medallion carpet and the Velschen carpet, which survived the Reformation, as well as the coat of arms carpet from the Burgundian loot. Another focus of the collection, which is reflected in the exhibits on display here, is the Thun Castle Foundation’s militaria collection.The second floor focuses on the time of the Thun mayor, with the heraldic panels of the mayor on display.One highlight is the carved-out Bernese coat of arms, which fell victim to Napoleon’s invasion. One floor up is the so-called Knights’ Hall, which is an important example of Zähringen architecture.This is followed by the old prison and above it, on the top floor, the impressive roof truss.

The objects on display offer only a small insight into the diversity of the Thun Castle Foundation’s collection today.
The majority of the collection is housed in external depots and is scientifically managed there.Today, the castle’s collecting activities focus primarily on Thunensia and the Bernese Oberland. Thematic focuses are set by special collections that contribute to documenting and preserving the rich history and culture of the region.In addition, further objects are presented in annually changing special exhibitions.

Further information on the foundation and development of the collection can be found here: Küffer, Peter: Historisches Museum Schloss Thun 1888-1988, in: Jahresbericht Schloss Thun 1987, S. 17-100.

Sub-collection of ceramics:

The ceramics collection is an important focus of the Thun Castle Foundation’s collection. In December 1887 – just one year after the opening of the museum – the Täglicher Anzeiger asked the public for objects for the Historical Museum, including ceramics. This suggests that ceramics played a central role in the collection from the very beginning. Today, the museum is one of the leading institutions in Switzerland with a comprehensive and diverse collection of ceramics.

The collection of Thun majolica, which is considered the largest and most important reference collection of national significance, is particularly noteworthy. It includes works dating from around 1871 to 1914 and impressively documents the development of ceramics from Heimberg and Steffisburg. The collection also provides fascinating insights into the trends of Historicism, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Heimatstil, which were influenced by the ceramics schools in Bern and Chavannes.

Another important part of the collection includes the works of the Heimberg ceramists Caesar and Adolf Schmalz as well as pieces from the “Desa” art pottery. The extensive collection of designs and working materials by ceramic painter and designer Friedrich Ernst Frank is also particularly noteworthy, providing unique insights into the working methods of ceramists.This collection makes it possible to trace the process of creating ceramics and promotes an understanding of the craftsmanship and artistic dimension of ceramic production.

Thanks to the support of the CERAMICA Foundation Basel, the entire ceramics collection of the Thun Castle Foundation will be digitized by 2025 and made accessible online for the general public.

Further links:

The collection can be explored on various platforms:

  • – As a member of the mmBE inventory, we have been gradually publishing our holdings in the digital mmBE catalog since 2022. You can find the catalog under the searcht term “Thun”
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  • – In addition, our holdings are also gradually being published on the KIMnet portal of the “Kulturerbe Informationsmanagement Schweiz” association. The portal can be accessed at kimnet.ch
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  • – Our ceramics collection is being digitized by the CERAMICA Foundation Basel and can be accessed via the website ceramica-ch.ch

Have fun exploring and discovering our diverse collection!

Schloss Thun

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