National Museum of History and Art

Coordinates: 49°36′43″N 06°07′59″E / 49.61194°N 6.13306°E / 49.61194; 6.13306

Exterior of the museum, seen in 2007

The National Museum of History and Art (Luxembourgish: Nationalmusée fir Geschicht a Konscht, French: Musée national d'histoire et d'art, German: Nationalmuseum für Geschichte und Kunst), abbreviated to MNHA, is a museum located in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It is dedicated to displaying artworks and artefacts from all epochs of Luxembourg history. The museum is situated in Fishmarket, the historic heart of the city, in the Ville Haute quarter.

History

A Roman carving from Dalheim in the museum

The first proposal for such a museum was made during the French occupation of the Revolutionary Wars, when Luxembourg was annexed into the département of Forêts. However, the museum was never opened, despite the expropriation of a number of artefacts from the church.[1]

With the affirmation of Luxembourg's independence under the 1839 Treaty of London came a greater interest by native Luxembourgers in promoting the history of their country. In 1845, historians and archaeologists formed the 'Society for the Study and Preservation of Historic Monuments in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg' (French: Société pour la recherche et la conservation des monuments historiques dans le Grand-Duché de Luxembourg), regularly known as the 'Archaeological Society' (French: Société archéologique).[1] The society took over the responsibility of maintaining a collection of historic antiquities from Luxembourg City's Athenaeum.

In 1868, the Society received a boost from the establishment of the Royal-Grand Ducal Institute (French: Institut royal grand-ducal),[2] amongst the responsibilities of which was the conservation of archaeological collections.[1]

The museum has been expanded with a new building designed by Christian Bauer et Associés, opened in 2002.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Historique" (in French). Musée national d'histoire et d'art. Retrieved 2007-01-02.
  2. ↑ To become just the 'Grand Ducal Institute' (French: Institut Grand-Ducal) in 1890, when the personal union of Luxembourg and the Netherlands ended.
  3. ↑ National Museum of History and Art: Restructuration, retrieved 25 March 2010 (French)

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