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Research dossier · Places & Architecture

Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig

archaeological museum in Basel (Switzerland)

Architectural plans, a scale model, maps and brass measuring instruments
Places and architectureInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionAug 5, 2026
Entity authorityQ576081 ↗
Source-derived summary

The Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig (Basel Museum of Ancient Art and Ludwig Collection) is one of the many museums in the city of Basel, Switzerland and a heritage site of national significance. In 1961 the city of Basel decided to establish the museum to assemble the several antiquities in one place.

Buildings

It is located in several neighboring buildings, most prominently two designed by Melchior Berri in the early 19th century. One was desgnied for Johann Jakob Bachofen-Merian, the father to Johann Jakob Bachofen and the other for the Swiss merchant Isaac Iselin-Roulet. During several years the buildings were renovated and the museum was inaugurated in 1966. Initially the museum included only one of the two Berri buildings, the one constructed for Roulet, the other one being used by the cities Civil Register. In 1986 the also the building built for the Bachofen family, became a part of the museum. During several years the buildings were renovated and the museum was inaugurated in 1966. Having opened with about 650 m2 of exhibition room, until 1992 it has expanded to 3000 m2.

Collection

The museum is devoted exclusively to the art of ancient civilizations from the 4th millennium BC to the 7th century AD. The only one of its kind in Switzerland, the museum shows works of art from the Mediterranean region, predominantly from the period from 1000 BC to 300 AD. A central position is occupied by the collection of Greek vases and sculptures and the Ancient Egyptian section.

Editorial summary

The public source identifies “Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig” as archaeological museum in Basel (Switzerland). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Antikenmuseum, Basel and Sammlung.

Editorial reviewA strong orientation record where physical form, institutional use and historical geography need to be read together. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1961, 1966, 1986, 1992—that can be checked directly. The linked authority record independently contributes the date 1961-01-01. Its value is orientation rather than verdict, with Antikenmuseum, Basel and Sammlung providing the first useful test.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig”, the useful work is to connect “archaeological museum in Basel (Switzerland)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.

Evidence profile

The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 5, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q576081. VIAF identifies the subject as 148640166. The Library of Congress control number is n94032350. Authority coordinates are 47.554, 7.593. 5 of 5 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1961, 1966, 1986 and 1992.

Critical limits

A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.

Best used for
  • Historic place names
  • Jurisdictional context
  • Routes into maps and plans
Verify next

Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig primary sources, Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig archive and Antikenmuseum research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig”?
  2. Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
  3. Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.