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.
Mysterious ancestors. The life of the Lusizer and Milzener.
4.11.2018 – 3.3.2019
The exhibition sends the visitor on a quest for the Slavic tribes of the Lusizer and Milzener, those settled in the Lusatia since the 7th century AD.
In collaboration with the Förderverein Heimatmuseum Dissen and the AG “Stary Lud”, these two Slavic tribes have become alive again in the Sorbian Museum. Explore this special exhibition from the 4th of November 2018 until the 3rd of March 2019.
Enjoy seeing more than 400 original artifacts, reconstructions and different scenes of life more than 1000 years ago. Including also a documentary film, replicas and photos which were taken in Dissen, a place, where a Slavic village has been reconstructed.
Outlook
Mysterious ancestors – Life of the Lusizer and Milzener
4.11.2018 – 3.3.2019
Special exhibition “Mysterious ancestors – Life of the Lusizer and Milzener” from November the 4th 2018 until March the 3rd 2019 The exhibition moves to the traces of the tribes Lusizer and Milzener. The Dissen local history museum produced replicas of the old craft techniques in its slavic settlement section, which are now have to be shown in the Sorbian Museum.
The exhibition is based on the latest scientific research of experimental archeology. Special projects offer the opportunity to try out old production techniques live.
(pictures: Gerd Rattei)
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.