Dichter:innen- und Stadtmuseum Liestal
Literature and city museum in Liestal's old town with the literary estates of Herwegh and Spitteler and the history of the town.
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About the museum
The core of the museum comes from the estate of the poet Georg Herwegh and his wife Emma, which their son Marcel handed over to the municipality of Liestal. The wish for a memorial remained unfulfilled at first, until the Poets' Museum opened on 7 July 1946 on an upper floor of the town hall. Later a “poets' parlour” for the Liestal authors Joseph Victor Widmann and Carl Spitteler was added, along with further estates, such as those of Hugo Marti and Jonas Breitenstein.
Because the rooms in the town hall became too cramped, the town founded a foundation as the operating body in 2000; since 2001 a patrons' association has supported the museum. A neighbouring house at Rathausstrasse 30 was converted into its own premises and occupied in June 2001 as the Poets' and City Museum. Since 2022 the museum has been called the Dichter:innen- und Stadtmuseum, DISTL for short.
The completely redesigned permanent exhibition shows, besides the poets' estates and the exiled political refugees of the 19th century, also objects on the history of the town and its inhabitants: mosaics from the Roman villa Munzach, Carl Spitteler's original Nobel Prize medal, but also handicrafts made by prisoners. Media stations with films and sound documents as well as an introductory show complement the tour; special exhibitions take place on the top floor.
Highlights
- Estate of Emma and Georg Herwegh
- Carl Spitteler's original Nobel Prize medal
- Mosaics from the Roman villa Munzach
- Media stations with films and sound documents as well as audio guide
- Completely redesigned permanent exhibition (2022)
Permanent exhibition
- Dauerausstellung – The redesigned exhibition combines poets' estates (Herwegh, Spitteler, Widmann) with city history – from Roman mosaics from Munzach to curious everyday objects.
- Founded
- 1946
- Operated by
- Stiftung Dichter- und Stadtmuseum Liestal
- Director
- Stefan Hess
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | CHF 3AHV pension recipients, students and groups of 10 or more |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 16 · Young people up to age 16 have free admission. |
| Seniors | CHF 3AHV pension recipients |
| Students & apprentices | CHF 3 |
| Groups (10+ people) | CHF 3 per personfrom 10 people |
Free admission: Free admission for everyone on the first Sunday of every month
The Upper Rhine Museum Pass is valid, the Swiss Museum Pass is not. Members of the patrons' association have free admission; so do school classes from the canton of Basel-Landschaft with their teachers (without advance registration if no guided tour is booked).
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is set up to be wheelchair accessible. For people with hearing impairments there are induction loops at the media stations of the exhibition, in the audio guide and in the event technology.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours can be booked for groups and school classes; school classes from the canton of Basel-Landschaft have free admission. |
