The history of the Roman Museum!
Long-term cohabitation
The construction of the town of Nyon dates back to Roman times, so over two thousand years of history lie under the feet of the people of Nyon! After the decline of the colony and the gradual abandonment of its monuments, the town was never completely deserted. The remains of the ancient city give way to the medieval town, then to modern buildings, which have considerably damaged the latter. As a result, excavations within Nyon’s walls often bring to light the town’s Roman past.
A burgeoning interest in antiquity
The first mentions of Roman remains in Nyon appear in scholarly writings from the 16the and 17th centuries. Then, chance finds in cellars and basements began to interest scholars. As Nyon did not yet have a museum, the first objects discovered were generally taken to the Museum of History in Berne, the Museum of Art and History in Geneva and the Cantonal Museum of Archaeology and History in Lausanne.
The first museums
In 1860, Théodore Wellauer, a schoolteacher from Nyon, became fascinated by all these discoveries and founded the Société du Musée. Its aim was to “collect and preserve antiquities, inscriptions, historical documents, medals, coins, natural history objects…”. (Société du Musée bylaws, September 23, 1860). A local history museum was created at the Collège de Nyon, with Théodore Wellauer as its curator. He remained at the head of the museum from 1869 to 1907.
In 1888, the Society transferred its collections to the town of Nyon, and the museum became a municipal institution. With its new status, it moved to the first floor of the château.
Discovery of the basilica and birth of the new museum
After extensive fieldwork, which enabled us to gain a better understanding of Colonia Iulia Equestris, a major discovery was made. In early July 1974, during excavations directed by cantonal archaeologist Denis Weidmann, the Roman basilica was discovered. It was one of the most important buildings in a Roman city, since it was here that all the administrative, political and judicial affairs of the civic community were settled. The interest shown by the people of Nyon in this discovery was such that the town decided to use the foundation walls of the building to create a new museum dedicated to its Roman past.
On September 14, 1979, the new museum was inaugurated with a grand celebration. It was christened the “Roman Basilica and Museum”.
A statue of Julius Caesar
A statue of Julius Caesar Imperator was erected in 1980 on the outskirts of the institution, to make it more visible and evoke the city’s famous founder. It’s a cast copy of the original marble statue in Rome’s Capitoline Hill, in the council chamber of the PalazzoSenatorio, which is unfortunately not open to the public.
The museum gets a makeover
Since 1979, the museum has undergone several transformations, the first of which took place in 1993. The City of Nyon decided to completely excavate the foundations of part of the basilica’s north-east ambulatory, which had been uncovered under the Rue du Vieux-Marché, enabling an extension to be added to the museum. As a result, the layout of the basilica is now easier to understand for the public.
Then, in 2009, the permanent exhibition was completely overhauled to incorporate recent discoveries. At the same time, the entrance walls were repainted bright red, the color of cinnabar, the famous Pompeian red. The reception area furniture, meanwhile, was painted yellow, adding a cheerful touch to the space.
The exhibition space is also changing color: its floor and furnishings are now mauve, to highlight the Basilica’s pale walls. All the museum’s lighting has been renewed: the display cases have been fitted with LED sources.
For this thirtieth anniversary, the entrance to the museum has also been redesigned. The access ramp has been returned to its role as an “airlock” in unfinished concrete, free from any intervention. It creates a passageway to antiquity, inviting visitors to leave the modern world behind as they descend into the archaeological stratigraphy.
In 2019, the Roman Museum celebrated its fortieth anniversary. The permanent exhibition has seen two digital devices added to keep up with the times. The first allows visitors to explore the Basilica via a video featuring a 3D reconstruction of the building, while the second immerses visitors in the thermal baths.
The copy of the statue of Julius Caesar, damaged by the ravages of time, was replaced.
The Roman Museum, an ongoing story
And there’s more to come! The museum still has many exciting projects to come. One thing’s for sure: the story of the Roman Museum of Nyon is just beginning!
