Museum
Museums Muttenz
Museums Muttenz is a museum.
About Museums Muttenz
Overview & Identity
Museums Muttenz is a dual-institution cultural entity located in Muttenz, Switzerland, comprising the Ortsmuseum (Local History Museum) and the Bauernhausmuseum (Farmhouse Museum). The institution serves as the primary repository for the region's cultural heritage, focusing on the settlement history of Muttenz from the Stone Age to the modern era, as well as preserving the extensive artistic legacy of the local historical painter Karl Jauslin. The museum operates under a collaborative trusteeship involving the Municipality of Muttenz, the Archaeology of Basel-Landschaft, the Society pro Wartenberg, the Muttenz Nature Conservation Association, and the Muttenz Winegrowers' Association, reflecting a broad community commitment to preserving local history and nature.
History & Founding
The origins of the museum are rooted in the bequest of the historical painter and illustrator Karl Jauslin (1842–1904). Upon his death, his sister Lina Jauslin managed his estate for forty years before bequeathing his entire life's work to the Municipality of Muttenz, with the sole condition that the works be made accessible to the public. This donation sparked discussions in the mid-1940s regarding the creation of a dedicated museum. In the early 1960s, local enthusiasts began collecting photographs and objects from rural life to prevent their loss to modernization. The Ortsmuseum officially opened in 1972 in the attic of the fire station, initially featuring cultural-historical themes and the Jauslin collection, before undergoing significant renovations in 1998 and 2014.
Building & Architecture
The museum complex consists of two distinct architectural sites. The Ortsmuseum is housed in the attic of the fire station building at Schulstrasse 15, which was repurposed to accommodate the initial exhibitions in 1972. The Bauernhausmuseum is situated on a historic farmstead featuring two buildings dating back to the 17th century, specifically before 1678, as confirmed by dendrochronological or architectural analysis. The farmhouse complex includes a main residential building with a gable inscription and a stable, representing traditional rural architecture of the region. The Sulzhof, another component of the collection, was built in 1779 and later sold to the Rhine Salines in 1972.
Collection Highlights & Notable Holdings
The core of the collection is the Karl Jauslin Nachlass, comprising approximately 5,200 objects including historical paintings, illustrations, costume designs for the Basel Carnival, vedute, and advertising posters. This inventory was digitally cataloged in 2010 under the supervision of historian Peter Habicht. The Ortsmuseum also features archaeological original finds, models, and reconstructions illustrating the settlement history from the Stone Age to the 20th century, including specific exhibits on the three Wartenberg castles and the Freidorf settlement cooperative. The Bauernhausmuseum displays artifacts from rural life, such as items from the 19th and early 20th-century agricultural operations of the Liechti and Gerber families.
Significance & Legacy
Museums Muttenz holds significant cultural value as the guardian of the artistic legacy of Karl Jauslin, a prominent 19th-century illustrator known for his depictions of historical events and the Basel Carnival. The institution's comprehensive documentation of local settlement history, from prehistoric times to the modern era, provides a unique resource for understanding the development of the Baselland region. The museum's evolution from a small attic exhibition to a digitally inventoried, multi-room facility reflects a sustained community effort to preserve local identity. The inclusion of the Bauernhausmuseum further extends its significance by preserving tangible examples of traditional rural architecture and agricultural practices that have largely disappeared from the landscape.