After three months of closure, the Women’s Museum in Meran opened its doors again this week. It was a great pleasure for the museum team to welcome the first visitors and to present the news.
The new permanent exhibition
New permanent exhibition at the Women’s Museum of Merano
At the beginning of the year the time had come to renew the permanent exhibition at the Women’s Museum. A new concept had been developed and the exhibition was built with new objects and updated narratives. When it was finally ready and the museum team was enthusiastic to present it to the public, the museum had to close it’s doors due to Corona. So the official opening of the new permanent exhibition had to be postponed to autumn, however it can already be seen by the visitors of the museum.
The permanent exhibition illustrates the European history of women, from the 19th century until today. Fashion, accessories and everyday objects are witnesses of the respective eras and illustrate milestones of the time periods we showcase in our exhibition.
To this end, important themes for the understanding and development of women’s history are presented: they are ideals of beauty, what is feminine and what is masculine and what is care and professional life. All still relevant today! The exhibition is about informing and sensitizing, raising and provoking questions, remembering and making people smile!
This 15-minute film provides insights into the new permanent exhibition, but also into the history of the museum (in Italian):
Temporary exhibition: A Date with the Apron
A Date with the Apron – temporary exhibition at the Women’s Museum of Merano
Also the new temporary exhibition “Angebandelt – Ein Date mit der Schürze” (A Date with the Apron) is now open.
Not only in the past, but also at present time aprons are worn by different people: at work as well as in everyday life. Whether in the garden, while cooking, at folk festivals or in leisure time: the apron is far from being extinct. It often has a personal and emotional meaning for its wearers.
Women, men and children own aprons. They have different functions: They protect clothing, grant prestige, are part of a work uniform or serve as decoration.
The exhibition shows the diversity of an everyday garment. It was created at the Chair of Comparative Cultural Studies at the University of Regensburg under the direction of Esther Gajek in cooperation with the Stadtmuseum Deggendorf.
In this video by Südtirol Heute you can already take a look at the special exhibition (in German):
Guest showcase: Creatures
The Women’s Museum opens the exhibition “Creatures” in the guest showcase, thus honouring Rosanna Cavallini, renowned artist and founder of the Women’s Museum Museo Soggetto Montagna Donna in Borgo, Italy.
My artistic view has always revolved around the female universe, says Rosanna Cavallini.
The exhibition “Creatures” shows in paintings and sculptures the female figures of the artist, who was born in Riva del Garda and currently lives in Marte in Trentino.
To mark the occasion, Rosanna Cavallini has donated the painting “L’Addolorata” to the Women’s Museum with the words:
This painting is dedicated to all women who have experienced physical or psychological violence in their lives.
Rosanna Cavallini, artist and Sigrid Prader, head of the Women’s Museum of Merano