On Tuesday 8 December 2015, the Musée national d'histoire et d'art (MNHA) unveiled its new permanent exhibition, 'Cabinet des médailles', bringing to light prestigious decorations and rare money from throughout history.
Gold coins, pieces of jewellery and the first banknotes of Luxembourg are all to be explored across several renovated and refurbished rooms of the MNHA. Exhibition curator François Reinert explained how, developed in collaboration with the Atelier Schubert (Stuttgart-Luxembourg), the exhibition is built on the concept of 'metal history', highlighting money for its relation to the past rather than for its monetary value.
However, rather than simply presenting the information in a chronological manner, the rooms of the exhibition denote various themes, displayed in novel ways, such as monetary treasures, prestigious collections, iconography, coinage and production material, currency exchange, bank notes, medals and decorations. Included items are therefore at times unexpected, with paintings, jewellery, drawings, posters, books and statues all adorning the glass cabinets. The pieces express not only their production conditions but also their artistic qualities.
One room with a 360° cabinet to examine allows visitors to trace the history of the coin production process, from the Celts 200BC to 30AD, through to the Burgundians and Spanish 1400-1700AD. A further section explores the development of paper money from 1800-2000, as well as contextualises currency exchange within the context of Luxembourg history, with one information plaque explaining how in 1340, when John the Blind founded the annual Schueberfouer fair, currency exchange was monopolised by the Lombards of Northern Italy. Another cabinet, filled with medals and decorations, is a testimonial of the diplomatic relations of the Grand Duchy, revealing that in the 1930s it held ties to most regions.
The MNHA will be holding the official opening of the exhibition this evening, Wednesday 9 December 2015, at 19:00. Tours of 45 minutes are also available. For more information, contact +352 47 93 30-1 or musee@mnha.etat.lu.
Photos by Sarah Graham
