Special exhibition
The Sorbian museum also has special rooms with a total area of 220 m². The exhibitions are complementary and add further depth to the selection of permanent exhibitions and are mostly concerned with national minorities or regional characteristics – suitable for our museum. Slavic nationalities and their cultural traditions are of particular interest.
The art exhibitions complement the programmatic orientation and open up a new way of looking at certain topics.
20 September 2020 – 09 May 2021
Colours oft the distance.
The painter Ante Trstenjak and the Lusatian Sorbs
Lusatia plays an important role in the work of the Slovenian artist Ante Trstenjak (1894–1970). Fascinated by the diverse costumes of Sorbian women and girls, he traveled to Upper and Lower Lusatia for studies that shaped his artistic work until the 1960s.
During his first stay in Lusatia in 1928, 30 paintings as well as numerous sketches and drafts were made in addition to depictions of traditional costumes, landscapes, city and village views.
Prague was the home of the painter for a long time: he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts (1920–1923) and worked here until he moved to Maribor in Slovenia in 1950. During his studies he wanted to capture Lusatia and its Sorbian costumes. Decisive for this was the Lusatian work cycle by the Czech painter Ludvík Kuba exhibited in Prague in 1922.
What’s on 2020
SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS
22 Sept. – 01 March 2020 SORBIAN STREET STYLE
21 March – 23 August 2020 Sorbian Easter
20 Sept. – 09 May 2021 Colours in the distance. The painter Ante Trstenjak and the Sorbs of Lusatia
Permanent exhibition
The permanent exhibition at the Sorbian Museum in Bautzen leads you on an 830 m² tour from the early history to the present day. There is a thematically independent department of visual arts.
Ground floor
Start of the exhibition
The first part of the exhibition in the foyer presents a historical and linguistic classification of today’s Sorbs and their ancestors. Selected exhibits from each part of the museum will give you an overview of the central areas of the Sorbian identity.
In the following room the time of Slavic settlement, the High Middle Ages and the Reformation in Lusatia is shown. The next exhibition space displays areas of typical regional craft – for example forest beekeeping, fisheries and aquaculture, which formed an important industry since the Middle Ages.
Working and living conditions of the sorbs
Afterwards, you enter an area divided into four rooms with the themes: domestic living, costumes and customs during the course of the year. This includes traditional music.
1. Floor
Ballroom
The literature exhibition can be found in the ballroom. The largest room of the museum has two floors, because it used to be the court room of the Amtsgericht (local court) Bautzen. It is decorated with pictures of Sorbian scientists and writers. Beneath the gallery, the triptych by the Slovenian artist Ante Trstenjak shows important thinkers and creators of culture of the Sorbian cultural movement. The glass cases beneath the gallery display old prints and literary monuments.
On the left and right hand side of the room, there are cabinets with the works of important representatives of literary modernism. In the gallery, you can relax in the library and page through one of the numerous books.
Special events such as concerts and exhibition openings are held in the ballroom.
National movement
After the ballroom, the tour leads you to modern times and the national movement in general. Here the national consciousness of Slavic people, the literary and scientific studies of the Sorbian -Wends as well as other key factors of historical development are presented. In the middle of the space is the so-called Smoler room – as a reference to the outstanding personality of the Sorbian national revival.
A separate plaque is dedicated to the Sorbian emigrants overseas.
The ballroom doors lead into the special exhibition area in the east wing of the building.
2. Floor
Children's museum & Contemporary history
The visitors can look at the area dedicated to “Early Childhood”. The combined children’s museum is also an educational area and part of the permanent exhibition.
The department of modern history displays the development of the Sorbian associations, from the time of foundation until the reunification of Germany, and the position of the German public authorities as well as various other aspects of being a Sorb. And finally, we arrive at the present time.
Fine arts
This is a nice opportunity to leave the “historical timeline” and receive a visual impression not only of Sorbian but also of Upper Lusatia and Lausitz – enjoy this tour through the department of fine arts.
The Sorbian Museum has the largest collection of Sorbian art, including impressive portrayals and portraits of people, landscapes and watercolour paintings.