Discover Germany | Special Theme | Best of Zurich
Treasures from the deep sea Come to Zurich’s Museum Rietberg and explore the mystical story of Osiris, the Egyptian God of rebirth. The exhibition features 300 statues, sarcophagi and ritual objects recovered from the Mediterranean Sea. It captures an astonishing piece of history.
Left: Osiris exhibition. Photo: Christoph Gerigk, © Franck Goddio, Hilti Foundation Middle: The resurrection of Osiris. Photo: Christoph Gerigk, © Franck Goddio, Hilti Foundation Right: Osiris forecourt at Museum Rietberg. Photo: © Museum Rietberg, Rainer Wolfsberger
Those cities were the backdrop for the annual celebrations of Egypt’s founding myth: The mysteries of Osiris, which tell tales of death and resurrection, of chaos and order.”
TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE
The Museum Rietberg, in the city of Zurich, was founded in 1949 and the former Villa Wesendonck became the new home of a collection donated by Baron Eduard von der Heydt. A large underground extension increased the exhibition space by 125 per cent in 2007. Today, Rietberg hosts over 15,000 artworks and is one of Switzerland’s top ten museums with 90,000 visitors per year. Rietberg is the only Swiss museum for non-European cultures, exhibiting an internationally renowned collection of art from Asia, Africa and Ancient America. “The museum intends not only to focus on the fascinating variety of artistic expression, but also to raise interest and understanding of foreign cultures, views and religions,” explains spokesperson 62 | Issue 48 | March 2017
Alain Suter. “With many activities, we also aim to make culture easily accessible to kids.” The spectacular exhibition Osiris – Egypt’s Sunken Mysteries, just opened its doors and will run until the 16 July 2017. After being shown in London and Paris, it has made its way to Zurich and boosts a breathtaking collection of the latest archaeological underwater finds. “Around 300 statues and cultural objects, sarcophagi and gold objects from 16 centuries are presented in a display space of 1,300 square metres,” says Suter. “The artefacts on display come from the legendary ancient cities of Thonis-Heracleion and Canopus off the coast of Egypt which both finally sunk in the eighth century.
The objects discovered at the bottom of the sea by the archaeological team led by Franck Goddio who is also the exhibition’s curator, are set against a spectacular backdrop of changing colours and lighting, featuring underwater photographs and videos. The stunning collection takes visitors back in time and is a fascinating experience for young and old alike. The Osiris exhibition is one of a kind and marks a special year for the museum itself. It celebrates its 65th birthday and the tenth anniversary of its Smaragd (emerald) extension, which has become the museum’s new landmark. There are plenty of reasons to pay Museum Rietberg a visit. www.rietberg.ch