Brief description of the Museum

One of the first regional museums in Switzerland was founded in Boudry in 1884 (date of the inauguration of the building, but the collections already existed in 1866). Furthermore, the Musée de l'Areuse is one of the very first which was specifically built to house a museum (most museums at that time were located in a community or parochial building).

The Musée de l'Areuse is an exceptional treasure, - in particular because all the first original museums in Switzerland disappeared since then ... All, except one: the Musée de l'Areuse in Boudry.

It is worth noting that the collections themselves are an important part of this treasure: they include priceless and rare items which should be transmitted to future generations (such as a Roman funeral urn, a okuyi mask from Africa, a Bible of Girardet dated Le Locle 1781, a banner bearing the arms of Boudry given by the Duchess of Nemours in 1694, a finely worked watch which belonged to Philippe Suchard, etc.).

Moreover, the exhibition room is in itself a unique and invaluable testimony. Its originality consists in summarizing all museums in one: archaeology, ethnography, collection of medals, natural sciences, library, weapons, regional history, numismatic, etc...

Since April 2, 1997, the Musée de l'Areuse has been recognized as a cantonal cultural property. At that date, the Executive of the République et Canton de Neuchâtel decided to list it, with a preservation order on "the entire building, the furniture, the collections presented in the room on the first floor of the Musée, as well as the present disposition of this room".

From 1997 to 2002, the Musée de l'Areuse was entirely restored.

© Musée de l'Areuse, Boudry, 2002		uptaded: 05-Oct-2002