28th January 2013
PRESS RELEASE
Preview
“Qin – The eternal emperor and his terracotta warriors”
15th March – 17th November 2013
The terracotta warriors are coming to Switzerland
From 15th March to 17th November 2013 the Bernisches Historisches Museum will
run an exhibition on a fascinating period in Chinese history entitled “Qin – The
eternal emperor and his terracotta warriors”. After more than two years of
negotiations with the museum's Chinese colleagues it has been decided that ten
terracotta figures as well as some 220 other original objects will be brought from
China to Bern for this exhibition, which will be supported by UBS as the Presenting
Sponsor. Advanced ticket sales for this exhibition, which will introduce audiences to
a decisive period in Chinese history, start today, Monday 28th January 2013.
The Bernisches Historisches Museum is staging a large temporary exhibition on the First
Emperor entitled “Qin – The eternal emperor and his terracotta warriors”, which will run
from 15th March to 17th November 2013. The exhibition will introduce Swiss and Central
European audiences to a crucial period in Chinese history. The central focus of the threepart exhibition will be on the formation of the Chinese Empire in 221 BC, on the flamboyant
First Emperor and his monumental tomb complex with its spectacular terracotta army, as
well as the period’s legacy for China. The exhibition, which will only run in Bern, will be
staged in collaboration with the cultural and archaeological authorities of the Chinese
Province of Shaanxi (capital city Xi’an), where the tomb complex is located.
Terracotta figures are coming to Bern
After more than two years of negotiations with the Chinese authorities, the preliminary
agreement has now been replaced by the final loan agreement with the Cultural Heritage
Promotion Centre in Xi’an (People’s Republic of China). The Bernisches Historisches
Museum will receive ten original terracotta figures as well as some 220 other fascinating,
high-quality artefacts. Commenting on the successful negotiations with China, Jakob
Messerli, the director of the Bernisches Historisches Museum, said: “I am delighted to
announce that we will be able to show a range of very different figures from the First
Emperor’s tomb complex as the highlight of our exhibition. Together with approximately 220
other original artefacts from China, they will relate exciting stories about the formation of the
Chinese Empire.”
A complex project running according to plan
Preparations for the exhibition are currently in full swing and are running according to plan.
The large exhibition is an extraordinarily complex project, with regard to both the exhibition
and the infrastructure. The museum will offer the public a well-rounded overall experience
centred on their visit to the exhibition and enhanced by audio guides with additional
information, a museum shop stocked with a large range of Chinese products and an Asian
restaurant in addition to the existing Bistro Steinhalle. In order to optimise visitor flow,
various services will be relocated to a new pavilion, which will be erected for the duration of
the exhibition. This temporary building situated in the museum park will be directly linked to
the existing museum entrance and will house the ticket sales office, the information point,
the cloakroom, the audio guide distribution desk, the museum shop as well as the Qin
Restaurant. Wherever possible the pavilion itself will consist of recyclable materials, which
can either be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner or reused after the
exhibition ends.
A UBS cultural engagement
It would not be possible to mount an exhibition of this size without corporate support. UBS
are making this unique cultural event possible by becoming its Presenting Sponsor.
Commenting on the cultural engagement of UBS, Lukas Gähwiler, CEO of UBS Switzerland
said: “In the past UBS have supported extraordinary and successful exhibitions such as
“Tutanchamun” in the Antikenmuseum in Basel (2004) and “Vincent Van Gogh” in the
Kunstmuseum Basel (2009). By supporting this exhibition, we would like to promote the
dialogue and engagement with the fascinating history and culture of China. We are
delighted to present a unique cultural experience in collaboration with the Bernisches
Historisches Museum”.
Advanced ticket sales starting on Monday 28th January 2013
Advanced ticket sales for this unique cultural experience start today, Monday 28th January
2013 at 10 am. Tickets are available online at www.qin.ch or by calling +41 900 808 900.
Guided tours (in German, French, English and Italian, duration 60 minutes) can be booked
by calling +41 848 808 900.
Background information
The terracotta army of the First Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi (259 – 210 BC) was discovered
by chance in 1974. The army of around 8,000 life-sized warriors is part of a gigantic tomb
complex, at the centre of which is an image of the world. The terracotta army is one of the
most spectacular and most famous archaeological discoveries of all time. Since 1987 it has
been inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites and is often called the Eighth
Wonder of the World. Qin Shi Huangdi was both an influential and controversial figure in
Chinese history. He conquered and united large parts of present-day China, set in motion
the construction of the Chinese Wall, and unified the various currencies, measurements
and weights. He also introduced a standardised system of writing which acted as a unifying
force throughout the vast Chinese Empire.
Find out more about the exhibition at www.qin.ch/en
Contact Bernisches Historisches Museum
Michèle Thüring, head of the department of marketing & communication
Tel. +41 31 350 77 83, [email protected]
Contact UBS
Dominique Scheiwiller, UBS Media Relations
Tel. +41 44 234 85 00, [email protected]
Images
are available to download at www.qin.ch under “Media”:
www.qin.ch/en/media/pictures-for-the-media/
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