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God, the World and Bavaria. 100 treasures from the regional State Libraries of Bavaria

17 October 2018 – 7 July 2019
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Schatzkammern, 1st floor

Andreas Cellarius: Harmonia macrocosmica. Celestial atlas. Amsterdam: Johannes Janssonius, 1661 | © BSB – Amberg, Provincial Library, classification mark Geogr. 510

Andreas Cellarius: Harmonia macrocosmica. Celestial atlas. Amsterdam: Johannes Janssonius, 1661 | © BSB – Amberg, Provincial Library, classification mark Geogr. 510

Bamberg carnival. The big public masquerade on horse and on floats on Shrove Monday, 1837. Bamberg: Johann Baptist Lachmüller, 1837 | © BSB – Bamberg, State Library, classification mark MvO.Bamb.f.15

Bamberg carnival. The big public masquerade on horse and on floats on Shrove Monday, 1837. Bamberg: Johann Baptist Lachmüller, 1837 | © BSB – Bamberg, State Library, classification mark MvO.Bamb.f.15

Hans von Gersdorff: Feldbuch der Wundarznei. Wundenmann. (Field book on treating wounds. The wounded man.) Strasbourg: Johannes Schott, 1517 | © BSB – Passau, State Library, classification mark Inc. 320

Hans von Gersdorff: Feldbuch der Wundarznei. Wundenmann. (Field book on treating wounds. The wounded man.) Strasbourg: Johannes Schott, 1517 | © BSB – Passau, State Library, classification mark Inc. 320

Regional State Libraries, logo

The exhibition

As of October 2018, the ten regional State Libraries of Bavaria will for the first time present their collection highlights and treasures in a large exhibition taking place at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich.

"Bavaria is a cultural and social state governed by the rule of law. (...) The state shall protect the natural basis of life and cultural traditions". Article 3 of the Bavarian Constitution hence also describes the tasks and the importance of the ten regional State Libraries of Bavaria, which are subordinated organisationally to the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. As academic libraries, they serve to provide their cities and regions with information and literature, and to secure, conserve and maintain valuable historical holdings, representing the cultural heritage of Bavaria in the various regions.

The regional State Libraries safeguard precious treasures in their vaults and stacks; the diversity of the collections is impressive. This is sufficient reason to present at least a selection of these treasures to the broad public jointly in a big exhibition. The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek accordingly dedicates its great annual exhibition of 2018/ 19 entirely to the collection highlights from Bavaria's regions. From 17 October 2018 to 7 July 2019, a total of around 100 precious works will be put on display in the library's two treasure vaults, subdivided into three time segments.

There will be medieval manuscripts, incunabula, precious printed works, cartographic works, globes, posters, letters and many more exhibits. For example, visitors will see a small wartime cookery book of 1915, a natural history of the birds of Germany of 1805 – 1821 and Bertolt Brecht's letter to Paula Banholzer of 1919, just like Napoleon's order of the day of 24 April 1809, the dictionary "The Royal ABC" for Caroline von Brandenburg-Ansbach of 1715, a geometrical plan of the Donaumoos region presumably of the year 1794 or an oriental collective codex from the Arabic-Persian language area dating back to the 16th century. Among the absolute highlights there are certainly the so-called "Lorscher Arzneibuch", a medical manuscript from the monastery of Lorsch, dating back to the 9th century, Hartmann Schedel's World Chronicle of 1492, a Gutenberg Bible of 1454/ 55, the "Hexenhammer" of 1496, containing a handwritten documentation of the burning of a witch that is not documented anywhere else, a so-called "Lafreri atlas" of the 16th century or a first edition of Nicolaus Copernicus's "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" of the year 1543.

The selected exhibits will be presented surrounded by their own aura, but also their regional and supra-regional importance will be illustrated. The presentation of cultural-historical interconnections proceeding from one object in particular has become popular in recent years. Just think of Neil McGregor's "A History of the World in 100 Objects". The exhibition "Gott, die Welt und Bayern" is based on a similar concept.

You are cordially invited to delve into the world of the State Libraries of the regions, each and all representing treasure vaults of Bavaria's regional diversity and active heritage institutions whose collections and cultural-political functions contribute to the identity of the Free State of Bavaria founded in its regions. Welcome!

The virtual exhibition

Accompanying the exhibition in the library, we also present a virtual exhibition of a number of select pieces, which will give you a sneak peek of the plethora of treasures awaiting you.

Virtual exhibition "God, the World and Bavaria"  (in German)

The regional State Libraries of Bavaria

www.regionalbibliotheken-bayern.de

Provinzialbibliothek Amberg (Provincial Library Amberg)
Staatliche Bibliothek Ansbach (State Library Ansbach)
Hofbibliothek Aschaffenburg (Court Library Aschaffenburg)
Staats- und Stadtbibliothek Augsburg (State and City Library Augsburg)
Staatsbibliothek Bamberg (State Library Bamberg)
Landesbibliothek Coburg (Regional State Library Coburg)
Studienbibliothek Dillingen (College Library Dillingen)
Staatliche Bibliothek Neuburg a. d. Donau (State Library Neuburg an der Donau)
Staatliche Bibliothek Passau (State Library Passau)
Staatliche Bibliothek Regensburg (State Library Regensburg)

The lecture programme supporting the exhibition

29 November 2018  → 18:30
For the good of the soul and the body. Medieval book treasures from Bavarian libraries
Dr. Bettina Wagner

07 February 2019  → 18:30
Bavarians in a strange land. The world of the 16th century in books and images
Dr. Bernhard Lübbers

23 May 2019  → 18:30
25 years of princely life. The years together of the duke and duchess of Coburg in a unique piece of book art of 1867
Dr. Silvia Pfister

Download of the event flyer  (PDF, 1.6 MB)

Contact

Communication
Phone:  +49 89 28638-2429
presse@bsb-muenchen.de

Curation by:
Prof. Dr. Bettina Wagner
Dr. Bernhard Lübbers

Information overview

VenueBayerische Staatsbibliothek
Ludwigstrasse 16, 80539 Munich
Schatzkammern, 1st floor
Opening times17 October 2018 – 13 January 2019
Medieval manuscripts and printed works up to the time of Reformation

21 January 2019 – 7 April 2019
From the Orient and the Occident. Books, maps, globes of the 16th and 17th century

15 April 2019 – 7 July 2019
War and peace, joy and sorrow. Collection objects of the 17th to the 20th century

Mondays to Fridays   11:00 – 18:00
Sundays   13:00 – 17:00
Closed on bank holidays, on 24 and 31 December 2018 and on 5 March 2019
AdmissionAdmission is free.
Public transportUnderground lines U3/ U6, bus lines 58/ 68/ 153/ 154, station/ bus stop Universität
Bus line 100/ 153, bus stop Von-der-Tann-Strasse
Guided toursFree-of-charge guided tours on every first and last Thursday and Sunday of the month
(on Thursdays at 16:30, on Sundays at 14:00)
Meeting point: Fürstensaal (1st floor)
No registration required.
Overview of guided tours

For guided tours for groups please make an appointment in advance:
Phone +49 89 28638-2115 or -2419 or
veranstaltungen@bsb-muenchen.de
Costs per guided tour: € 60.00
CatalogueOn the occasion of the exhibition a catalogue will be published, which can be purchased for € 19.00 (sales price on site at the exhibition).
The catalogue will be available in bookshops at an estimated price of € 39.95.

With friendly support of the Förderer und Freunde der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek e. V.
Audio guideA German-language audio guide is available free of charge in the exhibition.
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