starting November 8, 2014
The Basel Carnival is a gigantic feast of sounds, dreams, colours and phantasies, but also of critique and satire. Large parts of the population are actively engaged in the event, so are many artists. In its function as a discrete urban festival, carnival serves as an opportunity for participants to depart from everyday norms and standard codes of conduct. During the “best three days of the year”, Basel is topsy-turvy.
In 2017 UNESCO added the Basel Carnival to its list of intangible cultural heritage, comparing the event to a huge satirical magazine, with facets like the humorous and often mocking “Schnitzelbank” verses promoting tolerance through social criticism and thus contributing to a sense of belonging and
social cohesion.
Displayed in an astonishing set of historical rooms, the exhibition offers an overview of the Basel Carnival; it includes costumes, masks, musical instruments, historical documents, and even a replica of a typical “carnival pub”. A multi-media station allows viewers to gain glimpses into the hustle and bustle of Basel Carnival.
A cooperation between the Museum der Kulturen Basel and the association “Basler Fasnachts-Welt”