М

The Museum

Image

The Museum

  • History

    150 YEARS OF HISTORY
    OF THE MUSEUM

    History

    The Musée des beaux-arts in La Chaux-de-Fonds can be traced back over 150 years to the establishment of the Société des amis des arts (SAA, now SaMba), which aimed to develop art appreciation across the region and place art at the service of industry by acquiring works and holding exhibitions.

    Early in the twentieth century, the SAA collection had no premises of its own. It was scattered across various sites in the town and soon ran out of space. Plans for a new museum had long been mooted but it was not until 1923 that the land was purchased and a competition launched to design the building.

    Architecture

    The winning design by Charles L’Eplattenier and René Chapallaz was inaugurated in 1926. The architects, known widely as admirers of Heimatstil and Art nouveau, came up with a project allying modernity and classicism. The building’s remarkable polychome façade, symmetrical design and volumes, layout, and clear, airy interior all gestured to Art deco.

    The monumental entrance was dominated by L’Eplattenier’s high-relief sculpture Pegasus or Spirit of the Arts. The building also showcases works by François Morellet, Günther Förg, Olivier Mosset and Lawrence Weiner. The mosaic decor in the lobby, dating from 1929, was by the painter Charles Humbert.

    In 1993, the museum was given a discreet underground extension by the architect  Georges-Jacques Haefeli, marrying harmoniously with the original building. More recently, it has undergone a series of renovation projects to restore its original polychrome exterior while meeting the highest modern standards of museum design.

    Collections

    The Société des amis des arts held it first exhibition in 1864 and purchased four of the works on display, forming a fledging collection. It continued acquiring works in the following years. The history of the collections mirrors the museum’s exhibitions: its biennials initially presented works by artists from across Switzerland and elsewhere, but then came to focus on artists from the region. The post-war period saw more temporary exhibitions devoted to a single artist or theme, often featuring contemporary art, some of which was then acquired for the collection.

    Over the decades, the museum has received a number of significant bequests and gifts, most notably from René and Madeleine Junod (1986), Olivier Mosset (2007) and Erwin Oberwiler (2017).

    Photography: Olivier Di Giambattista
    Photography: Olivier Di Giambattista
    Photography: Olivier Di Giambattista
  • Team

    David Lemaire
    Head curator

    +41 32 967 60 77

    Marie Gaitzsch
    associate curator

    +41 32 967 65 64
    marie.gaitzsch@ne.ch

     

     

    Nicole Hovorka
    scientific collaborator and registrar

    +41 32 967 60 76
    nicole.hovorka@ne.ch

     

     

    Léa Gentil
    conservator – restorer

    +41 32 967 60 79
    Lea.Gentil@ne.ch

    Yannick Blaser
    exhibition installation and maintenance

    +41 32 967 60 79
    yannick.blaser@ne.ch

     

    Sylvia Savanyu
    administrative assistant

    +41 32 967 65 65
    sylvia.savanyu@ne.ch 

    Vincent Dubuis
    administrative assistant

    +41 32 967 60 77
    vincent.dubuis@ne.ch

    Alexandra Zuccolotto
    administrative assistant

    +41 32 967 60 77
    alexandra.zuccolotto@ne.ch 

     

    Emilie Gougain
    reception

    +41 32 967 60 77
    emilie.gougain@ne.ch

     

    Benjamin Taillard
    museum attendant

    +41 32 967 60 77
    benjamin.taillard@ne.ch 

     

     

    Adva Guttel
    museum attendant

    +41 32 967 60 77
    adva.guttel@ne.ch

     

  • Support

    Société des amis du Musée des beaux-arts

    Société des amis du Musée des beaux-arts (SaMba)

    SaMba boasts a history dating back over 150 years. It was instrumental in founding the museum, driving the construction of the museum premises early in the twentieth century and building the core collection. It has helped the museum grow by supporting its exhibition programme, contributing to its rich collection and promoting its activities.

    SaMba’s mission is to develop the regional art scene and promote the arts in La Chaux-de-Fonds. It organises the contemporary art biennial, offering a unique overview of the creative arts across Neuchâtel and the wider region.

    Join SaMba!

    As a SaMba member, you will play a vital role in supporting the museum. You will be invited to play an active role in the museum’s activities and cultural life across the town. Members enjoy access to exclusive museum activities where they meet artists and fellow art lovers.

     

    Membership advantages

    Free entry
    An exclusive visit of each temporary exhibition, guided by the curator
    Reductions on museum publications
    Cultural outings and guided visits to exhibitions, collections, and artists’ studios

    Annual subscriptions

    Individual membership                                 CHF 40.-
    Students, apprentices and the unemployed CHF 10.-
    Couples                                                         CHF 60.-
    Supporting membership                               CHF 100.-
    Benefactor membership                               CHF 300.-

    To become a member or for more information, please contact SaMba or consult its website.

    Tea-Time with Natacha Donzé, organized by the SaMba, for the finissage of her exhibition «Feasts»
    Tea-Time with Natacha Donzé, organized by the SaMba, for the finissage of her exhibition «Feasts»
    Tea-Time with Natacha Donzé, organized by the SaMba, for the finissage of her exhibition «Feasts»
    Tea-Time with Mathias Pfund, organized by the SaMba, for the finissage of his exhibition «Laughing Stock»

Please rotate your device

М
  • fr
  • en
  • Exhibitions
  • Collections
  • The Museum
  • Visit
  • Press
  • Publications
Newsletter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Musée des beaux-arts La Chaux-de-Fonds

RUE DES MUSÉES 33 2300 LA CHAUX-DE-FONDS

+41 (0)32 967 60 77
MBA.VCH@NE.CH

TU–SU 10:00–17:00
Special opening ↗

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use the website you consent to the use and storage of cookies on your device.

You are using an outdated browser which can not show modern web content.

We suggest you download Chrome or Firefox.

Musée des beaux-arts La Chaux-de-Fonds

RUE DES MUSÉES 33 2300 LA CHAUX-DE-FONDS

+41 (0)32 967 60 77
MBA.VCH@NE.CH

TU–SU 10:00–17:00
Special opening ↗