Alsatian Museum, Strasbourg

Alsatian Museum, Strasbourg

Housed in a series of Renaissance timber-framed houses on the Quai Saint-Nicolas, the Musee Alsacien or Alsation Museum is dedicated to folk culture and everyday life in Alsace from the 17thto 20thcenturies.

Housed in a series of Renaissance timber-framed houses on the Quai Saint-Nicolas, the Musee Alsacien or Alsation Museum is dedicated to folk culture and everyday life in Alsace from the 17thto 20thcenturies. It throws light on traditional domestic layouts, social life, art and entertainment in the region during the pre-industrial and early industrial era. From its rich and varied collection of over 50,000 works, it displays 5000 exhibits on various themes –

• Domestic Life - The half-timber houses have faithfully reconstructed rooms and craft workshops furnished richly in Alsatian style with decorative motifs, earthenware, ceramics, and polychrome wooden panels. Visitors can compare the different interiors from the different regions within Alsace - agricultural plains, wine country, and mountains of the Vosges.
• Individuals and Society – It presents Catholic, Protestant and Jewish social traditions related to rites of passage from birth to death, including baptism, communion, conscription, and marriage. It showcases various festive costumes that indicate the person's domicile, marital status, and societal standing It also showcases the transition of primary language in Alsace from German to French after World War I.
• Toys and Games – The collection of playthings in the museum throws light on the gender stereotyping of the era, with elaborate dollhouses with fancy kitchens meant for girls, and soldiers, farms, and trains for boys.
• Produce – The museum traces the cultivation of vineyards and wine production in the region since its introduction by Romans. There is also a section dedicated to French Munster cheese, which was originally produced by Vosgian abbeys and monasteries in Alsace.
• Popular Images – This section has military iconography, models, and religious imagery.