Description of the attraction
In European countries, on the eve of the Christmas holidays, you can see groups of women and men from the Salvation Army, singing songs in the streets and collecting funds for charitable purposes. Many admire their activities, but know little about the history of the emergence and development of such an organization as the Salvation Army.
In the center of Bern, a five-minute walk from the Train Station, there is the Salvation Army Museum, where you can learn more about this religious movement. Its founders are William and Catherine Booth, who in 1865 opened a "Christian Mission" in East London, later renamed The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army Museum was established in Bern in 1999. He talks about the activities of this organization in three European countries - Switzerland, Austria and Hungary. The permanent exhibition is dedicated to the life and work of the early missionaries William and Catherine Booth and their followers. Many items presented here tell about the spiritual values of this organization, about its goals, achievements, plans. In Switzerland, the Salvation Army began its charitable mission in 1882. Since then, this movement has spread to 128 countries.
The Salvation Army Museum cooperates with the Association of Museums in the City of Bern and the Association for Museums in the Canton of Bern. Museum staff believe that their main task is to inform and inspire visitors, to preserve and research historical artifacts associated with the Salvation Army.
There is a reading room at the museum. The local library contains about 4 thousand documents related to the activities of the Salvation Army. There are newspapers, magazines, books, videos, photographs, etc. In the exhibition halls you can see uniforms, flags and much more. Many costumes can be rented for theatrical performances.
