Ethnographic Museum at the University of Zurich

Interesting ethnographic museum. The current exhibition on the Benin bronzes is fascinating. I appreciated that controversial aspects of the story were not omitted, such as the slave trade origin of many of the bronzes which were made from melted manillas which the Kingdom of Benin obtained from the colonial powers in exchange for enslaved people and other goods. Also human sacrifices that were common are being mentioned. Also, the Swiss diaspora is getting prominent mention. What is missing is any mention of the diaspora outside Switzerland, namely the DNA descendants of the enslaved people living in the US, the UK and other European countries, the Caribbean, and South America. Also no mention of the Restitution Study Group (rsgincorp.org) and its work on the...

It was an interesting find on the swiss museum pass with a focus on explaining people why etnographic museums are showing people the evolution of humanity. I thought etnographical museums had a more national component, but you'll see a lot of the african cultures showcased here. it was a free entry but did not...

It's a very small museum which consists of 2-3 exhibitions. The main one is the Benin treasures and the discussion of giving back plundered treasures to Africa. Free entrance. Next to it there's the old botanical garden which is nice for a small walk or to spend a...