The Chüechlihus Regional Museum in Emmental, one of the largest and most diverse regional museums in Switzerland, is preparing for a special anniversary: in 2026, the historic building will be 500 years old. To mark this occasion, the museum is planning a significant reorientation of its activities and exhibitions. Yesterday, the Langnau municipal council decided on the corresponding loan of 238,000 francs and approved it unanimously.
The Chüechlihus houses a valuable cultural-historical collection that documents life in the Emmental from the past to the present. This collection is not only considered to be of regional but also national importance and offers a comprehensive insight into the history of the region. The building itself, one of the oldest in the entire Emmental, is an important part of this heritage.
New priorities in the anniversary year
To mark the 500th anniversary, the regional museum will introduce a new thematic cycle under the motto “Uf ds Hus! Knowledge from here, for today (and tomorrow)”. The aim of this cycle is to research and pass on local knowledge. This new direction means a change from the traditional annual special exhibitions to long-term thematic cycles that are intended to involve the regional population more.
Challenges and changes
However, in order to implement this new concept, the museum is faced with spatial challenges. Currently, most of the rooms in the Chüechlihus are dedicated to the extensive permanent exhibition, which is so extensive that it can hardly be fully understood in a single visit. For this reason, the museum plans to reduce the size of part of the permanent exhibition and use the freed-up rooms for the new thematic cycles.
The permanent exhibition will remain a central part of the museum’s offering, albeit in a reduced form. This will enable the museum to make room for new formats and focus even more on the needs and interests of the regional population. In addition, a redesign and relocation of the entrance area is planned in order to offer visitors a contemporary and inviting experience.
A look into the future
With these planned changes, the Chüechlihus Regional Museum is not only showing its connection to the past, but also its willingness to open up to the future. The 500th anniversary offers the perfect opportunity to make the museum an even more vibrant place of knowledge and encounters for the people of Emmental and beyond.
