In Neuchâtel until August 17, the Natural History Museum is exhibiting specimens from the Tschudi collection in “Naming Natures – Natural History and Colonial Heritage”. This Swiss naturalist was commissioned in the 19th century by the museum to collect animals and plants from all over the world.
In 1838, delegated by the Natural History Museum of Neuchâtel to enrich the institution’s collections, the Swiss naturalist Johann Jakob von Tschudi (1818–1889) left for Peru. Upon his arrival, his ship was requisitioned to serve the Peruvian navy in the war against Chile. Tschudi thus remained in Peru for five years and explored the interior of the country, traveling from the coast to the Andes. He brought back to Neuchâtel a collection of more than a thousand specimens, as well as human remains.
“At that time, the Natural History Museum of Neuchâtel, like other museums in Europe (…), wanted to have in its collection as many animals and plants as possible from all over the world. It is for this reason that the museum commissioned Johann Jakob von Tschudi to travel around the world”, indicates Tomás Bartoletti, historian and co-director of the project, in the 7:30 p.m. of January 3.
But 19th-century natural history was about more than cataloging plants, animals, and rocks. “Tschudi, like other naturalists, has contributed to the creation and exploitation of data to fuel racist ideologies. He steals human remains from archaeological sites and illegally brings skulls, funerary objects and mummies back to Switzerland “, we can read as part of the exhibition.
Questioning inheritance
The Neuchâtel institution is today questioning this colonial heritage in an exhibition entitled “Naming natures”. It highlights the appropriation of natural heritage by Western scientists, often without taking into account local heritage or expertise.
While browsing the exhibition, visitors discover archives, historical objects and artistic works. Some specimens are hidden behind a curtain to preserve sensitivities. The hangings mean that the animals presented have something special. “Here in Neuchâtel, it is clearly the provenance that is a little disturbing. On the other hand, for South American cultures, it could be the animal itself (…) which can have a totally different symbolism and which can be very disturbing”, explains director Ludovic Maggioni.
-How can we better account for the context in which this extra-European collection was acquired? Is the way of naming nature a vector of imperialism? What is the responsibility of the Museum today? So many questions asked within the framework of the exhibition in a necessary duty of transparency. “The Natural History Museum today recognizes having participated in the colonial enterprise by having mandated people to bring back specimens (…) We also agree to do the work to try to reconstruct this history,” continues Ludovic Maggioni .
Beyond researching the provenance of its collections, the museum also wishes to develop joint projects with Latin America, and thus find a form of reparation.
TV subject: Elodie Botteron and Matthieu Oppliger
Adaptation web: mh
“Naming natures – Natural history and colonial heritage”, Natural History Museum, Neuchâtel, until August 17, 2025.
