A la vôtre ! Zum Wohl ! Salute ! Cheers !

Anecdotes about beverages in Switzerland

19 September 2008 – 19 April 2009

To mark its tenth anniversary, the Swiss National Museum at the Château de Prangins is cracking open a bottle of champagne dedicating its new temporary exhibition to the history of beverages in Switzerland since the end of the Middle Ages.

What did wine taste like under the Ancien Régime? When do the first mineral waters date back to? Who benefited from phylloxera and the subsequent devastation of the vineyards? Since when has milk been considered a typically Swiss product? There are a host of questions which this exhibition attempts to answer by a captivating display of 150 works of art and everyday artefacts, some of which are quite unusual.

In keeping with the theme of the exhibition a choice of vintage drinks will be offered: come and try out maidenhair cordial, hypocras cordial and other beverages! From 2.30 to 4.30 pm at weekends a wine-waiter/guide will be there to serve you with both refreshments and information.