They were sleeping in the reserves. Today they take all the light in the galleries of history. The next exhibition of the archives of the city of Neuchâtel will be varnished on Wednesday and is interested in objects often relegated to the background, but yet rich in meaning: gold books. This cultural event aims to bring together 21 copies from various contexts: hotels, public institutions, mythical bars, local businesses, mountain refuges or even sports and cultural associations. According to Marina de Toro, scientific commissioner in charge of the exhibition “This diversity of different albums is important, and this is what we want to show the public. »»
Emblematic messages
On the pages of the various albums, visitors left a word by leaving an exhibition, an impression at the end of a stay, a thank you, a farewell or simply a drawing made on the fly. Certains collected compile the messages of “mythical” places, like the gold book of the bar at 21, emblematic for a whole Neuchâtel. Others contain signatures of international personalities such as those of former French president François Mitterrand, the former princess of Monaco Grace Kelly or the writer Jrr Tolkien.
Far from being simple collections of memories, these objects tell a broader story: that of a place, of an era, but also of a culture of testimony. For example, “the digitization of a golden book dating from 2016, preserved in a hotel in Blatten, by the University of Neuchâtel, made it possible that in spite of a disaster, these albums remain the only witnesses of a shared memory. They remind us of the story of a whole generation, ”adds Marina de Toro.
The “Books d’Or” exhibition also highlights this universal human need which is to leave a trace. “It offers a sensitive look at these handwritten fragments of emotion, often neglected by researchers, but of great documentary and human richness. “Smiles the scientific commissioner in charge of this project. The event also aims to offer an immersive and thematic course, where each work reveals a different part of collective life.
Free and open to all, the books of gold is to be seen until February 1, 2026. More information on the programming can be found here. /Ifr
