Members:
Bachman, Samuel (Bernisches Historisches Museum)
Colombo Dougoud, Roberta (Musée d’ethnographie de Genève)
Glauser, Julien (Musée d’ethnographie de Neuchâtel)
Gredig, Florian (North American Native Museum)
Luraschi, Moira (Museo delle Culture)
Malefakis, Alexis (Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich)
Oberhofer, Michaela (Museum Rietberg)
Schweizer, Simon (Museum Schloss Burgdorf)
Voirol, Beatrice (Museum der Kulturen)
In 2025, the Museum Commission was redefined and now includes nine members representing museums from various regions of Switzerland. This renewed composition brings together professionals working in different institutional contexts—from large cantonal museums to smaller regional and university collections—and marks an important step in strengthening collaboration, cooperation, and the sharing of expertise among institutions holding ethnographic collections across the country.
New Initiative: Inventory of Ethnographic Collections in Switzerland:
In 2025, the Commission decided to focus its work on a new long-term initiative: the creation of an updated inventory of ethnographic collections in Switzerland. The project takes as its starting point two foundational publications of Ethnologica Helvetica 2–3 (1979) and 9 (1984) — which presented the first survey of ethnographic collections across Switzerland. The new initiative seeks to revive and continue the pioneering work of the former Museum Commission led by Christian Kaufmann, while adapting it to current museological, ethical, and collaborative standards.
The aim is to build a comprehensive overview of ethnographic collections preserved in Swiss institutions. Beyond the production of an inventory, the project also intends to foster dialogue, mutual support, and exchange of expertise between institutions. In addition, it seeks to make collections more visible and accessible, not only to researchers and the public in Switzerland, but also to source communities abroad who may wish to locate and reconnect with their cultural heritage held in Swiss collections.