Swiss Colonialism Examined at Château de Prangins

The Château de Prangins, the French-speaking branch of the Swiss National Museum, presents an exhibition titled 'Le colonialisme suisse au Château de Prangins' running until October 11, 2026. It assembles over 200 objects, archives, photographs, and testimonies to demonstrate that Swiss prosperity since the 17th century relied on global slavery and colonial economies. The show details Zurich's slave-trade rifles, Brazilian sugar plantations financed by Basel, Indian cotton woven in Aargau, Ghanaian cocoa imported to Vevey, evangelical missions in the Gold Coast, mercenaries in the Dutch East Indies, and racist naturalist Louis Agassiz. Trading dynasties like Volkart and Reinhart are featured. Contemporary African and Swiss artists contribute interventions that are often humorous and biting, contrasting family spoils with restored narratives. The exhibition does not judge but documents methodically.