The history of the Aargauer Kunsthaus goes back to the foundation of the Aargauischer Kunstverein in 1860. Its collection contains over 18,000 works, ranging from the 18th to the 21th century.
The museum building used by the Aargauer Kunsthaus was designed by the local architecture practice Loepfe, Hänni und Hänggli which won the architectural competition held in 1937. After 22 years of planning and construction, the museum was inaugurated in 1959. On the first floor, the exhibitions rooms are illuminated from above.
One room shows several paintings by one of the most well-known Swiss painters of the nineteenth century, Ferdinand Hodler. On the left "Die tote Valentine Godé-Darel mit Rosen", painted in 1915; in the center "Der Niesen vom Heustrich aus", created in 1910 and on the right, the painting "Krieger (Landsknecht)" from 1895.
Aargauer Kunsthaus - Ferdinand Hodler
Aargauer Kunsthaus - Die Tänzerin Moa-Mandu, 1929, Leo Leuppi
Aargauer Kunsthaus
The museum contains a metal spiral staircase that links all three storeys, which also allows to experience the different lighting setups in each of them.
Aargauer Kunsthaus - 1959 staircase
Aargauer Kunsthaus - street level with floor to ceiling windows
Aargauer Kunsthaus - upper floor illuminated from above
Aargauer Kunsthaus - 1959 staircase
Aargauer Kunsthaus - staircase
The museum extension was designed by Herzog & de Meuron and completed in 2003. It also integrates a spiral staircase.
Aargauer Kunsthaus
Aargauer Kunsthaus - Herzog & de Meuron staircase
Aargauer Kunsthaus - Herzog & de Meuron staircase
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