Exhibition Series: At home/On the go
In 2026/2027, the Trinational Museum Network will present the exhibition series At home / On the go. Thirty museums from Germany, France, and Switzerland will present exhibitions that explore the theme in various ways, thereby sparking a cross-border reflection on the subject.
The exhibition series is coordinated by the Dreiländermuseum in Lörrach.
Jan Merk, director of the Dreiländermuseum, on the exhibition series:
How was this year’s exhibition series theme—“At Home/On the go”—selected?
Every four years, the participating museums jointly determine the overarching theme for the exhibition series. Since the network was founded in 2014, very specific themes - often tied to anniversaries - have been selected: World War I or the Rhine. This time, we discussed together which broader theme might be relevant to all three countries. And that’s how we arrived at the title “At home / On the go.” Ever since humans have existed, they have settled down and moved on. This is also true in our region along the Upper Rhine. It is, therefore, a very current and, at the same time, an age-old human theme. Everyone can define what “home” means to them - and in our globalized world, we all have plenty of experience with being on the move.
How is the theme interpreted by the various museums?
Visitors to the exhibition series, which spans a year and a half, can expect a wide variety of perspectives on the theme: in Offenburg, the focus is on faith; at the Antikenmuseum Basel, the theme is “On the Move for Millennia.” The Basel Harbor Museum focuses on families on ships, while in Andlau, Alsace is presented as a land of immigration. Aspects of mobility and travel are also explored, for example, in an exhibition by interns at the Badisches Landesmuseum with the lovely title “Hin und weg,” or in an exhibition on the Alderbahn at the Pratteln Community Center. Biographies are also placed within the context of “home - on the move,” as seen, for example, at the Musée Bartholdi in Colmar. Last but not least, the theme is also explored through artistic approaches - such as at the Markgräfler Museum in Müllheim.
What significance does the network have for cooperation among museums in the border region?
The Museum Network is an open association of museums in the Upper Rhine region. Every four years, we organize a joint exhibition series centered on an overarching theme. Around 30 museums always come together to present different aspects of the theme. Initially, we received EU funding, but we are now self-funded. Coordination is handled by the Dreiländermuseum, where we meet every six months for working sessions. A very important partner is the Museums-PASS-Musées - in all phases, and ultimately in the promotion as well. Such a cross-border network, which offers insights into important issues from three often very different national perspectives, is unique in Europe. The fact that visitors can experience this through a variety of exhibitions - and that there is always a joint bilingual catalog to accompany them - is what makes our network so valuable.
