Historical Museum, Strasbourg

The Historical Museum (Musée Historique) in Strasbourg focuses on the city's complex history from the early Middle Ages to the present day. It was established in 1920 and is situated within the building that was once the Great Butchery of Strasbourg, a structure built between 1586 and 1588 that holds historical significance.

After undergoing two decades of renovation, the museum finally reopened on June 30, 2007. Under the leadership of Monique Fuchs, the museum initially unveiled an exhibition that covered the history of Strasbourg up to the year 1800. Subsequently, on November 16, 2013, the second section of the museum was inaugurated, showcasing the Napoleonic era through to contemporary times. With the completion of these additions, all sections of the museum became accessible to the public.

The museum's main focus is on Strasbourg's political, economic, and societal history. It does so by presenting a diverse collection that includes military artifacts, attire, paintings, sketches, sculptures, and a broad array of objects spanning from the Middle Ages to the 18th century.

Among the vast collection of 200,000 items in the museum's possession, only around 1,650 are on display. One exceptional highlight is a relief map dating back to 1727. This map intricately models the city and its immediate surroundings at a 1/600th scale, covering an impressive area of nearly 80 square meters.

Additionally, the museum holds items from European institutions in Strasbourg, like the Council of Europe and European Court of Human Rights. Notably, it includes the robe of Jean-Paul Costa, ex-President of the Court.