CHRISTMAS NATIVITY MUSEUM - DORNBIRN
Krippenmuseum in the Vorarlberg
The Nativity Scene or Crèche is a staple of Christmastime around the world. A scene depicting the story of the birth of Christ in the manger usually surrounded by some animals and wisemen, Mary and Joseph, with a straw strewn crib for the baby Jesus in the center. The scene can be small enough to reside on a fireplace mantle or in a village parking lot. The term in German is Krippen coming from the word for crib in the Nativity and can represent a variety of Christmas holiday scenes beyond the usual cast of characters. This more expansive idea of what a nativity scene can be and the artistry and passion which drives some artists around the world and over time can be seen at a little museum space in western end of Austria, just outside the town of Dornbirn, at the Krippenmuseum in Gütle.
The museum was the idea of a club of collectors in Dornbirn, an extension of a company which makes nativity scenes. A visit to a similar museum display in Italy in 1982 formed the basis the Austrian collection. Their passion for the subject has been the inspiration for gathering some amazing examples of the various forms and designs of the art from the corners of the globe into a small space in a former horse barn in the mountain forest, just out of town.
The birth of Jesus is described with slight variations in Matthew and Luke, with angels and shepherds from one, and donkey and ox from the other. The Magi allow some room for interpretation, except for the gifts. Other cultures than European influenced will add other characters or objects more familiar to their world. The middle east of Jerusalem is usually not thought of as snowy, but soem scenes take place in the dead of winter, aking for a glowy coxy warmth.
The first nativity scene depiction is credited to St Francis of Assisi, who following a visit to the Holy Land, was inspired to recreate the scene to bring what he had seen to his home audience to encourage a more personal connection in worship among his flock and inspired converts with the story, though his scene was recreated with living figures in costume as a pantomime. The popularity of the idea led to other church communities in the Catholic diaspora to stage their own. And the living scene eventually turned to a static representation in sculpted form, until finally becoming such a common feature of home decoration in the Christmas season. Some of the scenes at the Krippenmuseum date back 200 years, and demonstrate a stunning amount of detail, and artistry. The crowning exhibit is the Passion Scenes from famous Italian designer Pigozzi Antonio, which in addition to the manger story shows the stations of the suffering from the Garden to the burial on a mountainside almost 3 meters high.
Visiting Krippen Museum of Dornbirn
A visit to the Nativity Museum can be combined with the nearby museum dedicated to the Rolls-Royce (see Rolls-Royce Museum Dornbirn), which is just across the parking lot. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm, from May 1 to the 6th of January following New Years. The museum is staffed by enthusiast volunteers who will gladly show you around. Admission to the museum is €3 for adults and €1 for children. The museum is free with a Dornbirn Card of Bodensee Erlebniskarte. The Crèche scenes in the museum are not for sale, but there is a small Crib Shop with hand-made scenes and products for purchase or can be ordered. By train, there is a Bus 7 from the Dornbirn rail station to Gütle, or by car follow the Gütle road from the center of Dornbirn. © Bargain
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Krippen Museum
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