Research
Research at Thun Castle
The museum castle is also a place of research: our team works in the archives, studies a collection of more than 17,000 objects and publishes its findings – from ceramics, Anabaptist, legal and heraldic history and the Thunensia to the building history of the castle itself. And with «Treasures & Stories» we also research your objects.
Object research
Treasures & Stories – Thun Castle Researches with You
An heirloom, a flea-market find or an old photograph? As part of our visitor services, our experts explore the history and significance of your «treasures» with you – at the «Treasures & Stories» event in the Knights’ Hall and all year round, with a question form («What does your treasure tell?») and a donation option.
Collection research
Ceramics from Heimberg and Steffisburg – from Thun to the world
Over 3,000 ceramics, including the world’s most important collection of Thun majolica: after the complete inventory by Dr Andreas Heege (CERAMICA Foundation Basel), the entire holdings can be researched online – with databases, literature, research networks and an identification form («What piece do you have?»).
Town history
Thunensia – Views and Stories of a Town
Vedute and prints, photographs, postcards and memorabilia: the Thunensia tell the story of Thun – the tourist town of the 19th century, the military town, the town of famous guests from Goethe to Brahms. We are opening up these holdings for research – with image databases, literature and a report form («What does your view of Thun show?»).
Heraldry
Coats of Arms and Seals of Thun – Research at Thun Castle
Why does Thun bear a golden star in its coat of arms? Starting from the special exhibition «Awarded!», we research the seals, banners and coats of arms of the town, its burgher families, guilds and clubs, together with the Burgerarchiv Thun – with research posts, a question form («What does your coat of arms show?») and a crowdfunding.
Legal history
Voices of the Forgotten – True Crime at Thun Castle
Court and prison: together with the Burgerarchiv Thun and the State Archives of the Canton of Bern, we research the fates of the people condemned on the castle hill in the name of Bern – with research posts, a question form («Was one of your ancestors among them?») and a crowdfunding.
Anabaptist history
Schloss Thun and its Archival Studies – Your Way to Anabaptist History
We research the Anabaptist history of Thun, the Emmental and the Simmental in the regional archives, help families from the USA and Canada trace their roots, and publish our findings – with research posts, a question form and a crowdfunding for the ongoing work.
Monument and Collection
Monument and Collection – Thun Castle in Research
The Zähringen donjon, the town of the counts of Kyburg, over 17,000 objects: Thun Castle is itself an object of research of European standing. In our research cluster we present the latest literature on the Zähringen, the Kyburg and castle studies – and we support Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral theses, with an enquiry form for students and researchers.
More research
- Annual reports & bibliography – the scholarly publications on the castle since 1923, to read and download.
- Collection – more than 17,000 objects from the Neolithic to the 20th century, continuously catalogued and studied.
Questions about research at Thun Castle? We look forward to your message at info@schlossthun.ch.