Maison d'Ailleurs
Encyclopedia
The Maison d'Ailleurs is a museum of science fiction
, utopia
and extraordinary journeys in Yverdon-les-Bains
(Switzerland
). It is a non-profit foundation functioning both as a public museum and a specialized
research center.
The archives of the museum contain around 70,000 documents related to science fiction or utopia (books, art pieces, toys, etc.), including
some very old (as early as the sixteenth century) or unique pieces.
The collections of the museum are used for iconographic purposes or
research (literature, history of ideas, design, etc.). The Maison d'Ailleurs thus represents an important research and documentation
center.
In parallel, the museum presents from two to three temporary exhibitions per year, around the main themes of science fiction
(cities of the future, space travel, lost worlds, etc.) and its
artists: H.R. Giger, John Howe, James Gurney
, Caza
,
Jean Fontaine, etc. The exhibitions favour diversity and openness
towards the world, in order to reach a broad audience. The museum
also offers itinerary exhibitions and regularly presents its work in
Switzerland and abroad. Half a dozen exhibitions are rented per year
on average.
The Maison d'Ailleurs is the only public institution of its kind in the world. It has the status of a non-profit foundation, and therefore isn't directly a communal museum. The Foundation manages the collections owned by the city of Yverdon-les-Bains in the building
it has been provided with. Five to seven members of the Foundation
board are chosen by the municipality of Yverdon-les-Bains, while two
others come from the association Amis de la Maison d'Ailleurs
(Friends of the House of Elsewhere).
encyclopedian Pierre Versins
, who dedicated his life to writing
and the study of what he named "rational romanesque conjectures"
("conjectures romanesques rationnelles" in French). For more than
twenty years, he gathered a very important collection of science
fiction works. Based on this corpus, he wrote one of the major books
in this domain, the Encyclopédie de l'utopie, des voyages extraordinaires et de la science-fiction.
In 1976, he donated his assets to the city of Yverdon-les-Bains
and the Maison d'Ailleurs
was created. Pierre Versins acts as its curator until he moves back to France in 1981. Initially, the Maison d'Ailleurs only occupies a three-room flat, and doesn't have the
ambition of a museum.
After a lethargy period (during which the direction is held by Pascal
Ducommun), the municipality of Yverdon-les-Bains decides in 1989
to install the Maison d'Ailleurs in the renovated old prison, a
historical building built in 1806 and well-situated in the center
of the city. The journalist Roger Gaillard (1947–2010) is chosen as its curator
and the new museum opens in 1991.
By the end of 1995, the communal council of Yverdon decided to cut
more than 70% of the budget for the next year, which dramatically
reduced the organizational slack of the Maison d'Ailleurs and
generated a lot of negative reactions. The majority of the staff was
dismissed. In 1998, a foundation is created to manage the museum.
Its first decision is to give the direction to historian Patrick Gyger
,
who takes over in February 1999.
most important collections dedicated to Jules Verne
to the city of
Yverdon-les-Bains
. The Maison d'Ailleurs was given the task
to manage and present this collection.
This Jules Verne collection contains about 20,000 documents,
including rare pieces such as posters dating from the end of the
nineteenth century, hand-written notes, ancient iconography linked to
discovery and scientific adventure, as well as the complete collection
of the Voyages Extraordinaires, owned by the granddaughter of
Pierre-Jules Hetzel
, Jules Verne's publisher.
To host these pieces, a new Espace Jules Verne" (Jules Verne Exhibition Space) has been
built in the old casino of Yverdon-les-Bains. In addition to the
public presentation of the collection, a workspace is reserved to
researchers, with a privileged access to documents. The Espace Jules Verne
is connected to the rest of the museum by a
footbridge.
The administration of the museum and a large collection of pulp magazines have also been moved to the new building. This will allow the creation of a permanent exhibition at the Maison d'Ailleurs, in addition to the temporary exhibitions.
The Espace Jules Verne has opened in October 2008.
(ESA), the University of Lausanne
, the Cité de l'Espace
in
Toulouse (France), the International Trade Event in Bordeaux, the
"Utopiales
" festival in Nantes (France), the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, and it is part of the
Science et Cité network in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
Among its studies, the Maison d'Ailleurs has coordinated an important research funded by the ESA to try to find, in science fiction works, imaginary inventions related to astronautics and space
conquest technologies.
In a partnership with the ESA and the Agence Martienne (Martian Agency), the Maison d'Ailleurs has realised the most
important science fiction image library in the world. The museum has
also been mandated by Pro Helvetia
to prepare an important itinerary exhibition project about Swiss artists working in cinema and
video games.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
and extraordinary journeys in Yverdon-les-Bains
Yverdon-les-Bains
Yverdon-les-Bains is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district...
(Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
). It is a non-profit foundation functioning both as a public museum and a specialized
research center.
The archives of the museum contain around 70,000 documents related to science fiction or utopia (books, art pieces, toys, etc.), including
some very old (as early as the sixteenth century) or unique pieces.
The collections of the museum are used for iconographic purposes or
research (literature, history of ideas, design, etc.). The Maison d'Ailleurs thus represents an important research and documentation
center.
In parallel, the museum presents from two to three temporary exhibitions per year, around the main themes of science fiction
(cities of the future, space travel, lost worlds, etc.) and its
artists: H.R. Giger, John Howe, James Gurney
James Gurney
James Gurney is an artist and author best known for his illustrated book series Dinotopia, which is presented in the form of a 19th century explorer’s journal from an island utopia cohabited by humans and dinosaurs...
, Caza
Caza
Caza, the pseudonym of Philippe Cazaumayou , is a French comics artist.-Biography:At 18, Cazaumayou started a career in advertising which lasted for ten years, but in 1970 he entered the field of bandes dessinées, releasing his first album, Kris Kool...
,
Jean Fontaine, etc. The exhibitions favour diversity and openness
towards the world, in order to reach a broad audience. The museum
also offers itinerary exhibitions and regularly presents its work in
Switzerland and abroad. Half a dozen exhibitions are rented per year
on average.
The Maison d'Ailleurs is the only public institution of its kind in the world. It has the status of a non-profit foundation, and therefore isn't directly a communal museum. The Foundation manages the collections owned by the city of Yverdon-les-Bains in the building
it has been provided with. Five to seven members of the Foundation
board are chosen by the municipality of Yverdon-les-Bains, while two
others come from the association Amis de la Maison d'Ailleurs
(Friends of the House of Elsewhere).
History
The Maison d'Ailleurs originates from the work of the Frenchencyclopedian Pierre Versins
Pierre Versins
Pierre Versins was a French Science Fiction collector and scholar. He was also the founder of the Maison d'Ailleurs, museum of science fiction, utopia and extraordinary journey in Yverdon-les-Bains, ....
, who dedicated his life to writing
and the study of what he named "rational romanesque conjectures"
("conjectures romanesques rationnelles" in French). For more than
twenty years, he gathered a very important collection of science
fiction works. Based on this corpus, he wrote one of the major books
in this domain, the Encyclopédie de l'utopie, des voyages extraordinaires et de la science-fiction.
In 1976, he donated his assets to the city of Yverdon-les-Bains
Yverdon-les-Bains
Yverdon-les-Bains is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district...
and the Maison d'Ailleurs
was created. Pierre Versins acts as its curator until he moves back to France in 1981. Initially, the Maison d'Ailleurs only occupies a three-room flat, and doesn't have the
ambition of a museum.
After a lethargy period (during which the direction is held by Pascal
Ducommun), the municipality of Yverdon-les-Bains decides in 1989
to install the Maison d'Ailleurs in the renovated old prison, a
historical building built in 1806 and well-situated in the center
of the city. The journalist Roger Gaillard (1947–2010) is chosen as its curator
and the new museum opens in 1991.
By the end of 1995, the communal council of Yverdon decided to cut
more than 70% of the budget for the next year, which dramatically
reduced the organizational slack of the Maison d'Ailleurs and
generated a lot of negative reactions. The majority of the staff was
dismissed. In 1998, a foundation is created to manage the museum.
Its first decision is to give the direction to historian Patrick Gyger
Patrick Gyger
Patrick J. Gyger is a Swiss historian and writer. In the 1990s he specialised in medieval studies and in 1998 published the book, L'Épée Et La Corde: Criminalité Et Justice À Fribourg on the topic of crime and justice...
,
who takes over in February 1999.
Espace Jules Verne
In 2003, collector Jean-Michel Margot decided to donate one of themost important collections dedicated to Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
to the city of
Yverdon-les-Bains
Yverdon-les-Bains
Yverdon-les-Bains is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district...
. The Maison d'Ailleurs was given the task
to manage and present this collection.
This Jules Verne collection contains about 20,000 documents,
including rare pieces such as posters dating from the end of the
nineteenth century, hand-written notes, ancient iconography linked to
discovery and scientific adventure, as well as the complete collection
of the Voyages Extraordinaires, owned by the granddaughter of
Pierre-Jules Hetzel
Pierre-Jules Hetzel
Pierre-Jules Hetzel was a French editor and publisher. He is best known for his extraordinarily lavishly illustrated editions of Jules Verne's novels highly prized by collectors today...
, Jules Verne's publisher.
To host these pieces, a new Espace Jules Verne" (Jules Verne Exhibition Space) has been
built in the old casino of Yverdon-les-Bains. In addition to the
public presentation of the collection, a workspace is reserved to
researchers, with a privileged access to documents. The Espace Jules Verne
is connected to the rest of the museum by a
footbridge.
The administration of the museum and a large collection of pulp magazines have also been moved to the new building. This will allow the creation of a permanent exhibition at the Maison d'Ailleurs, in addition to the temporary exhibitions.
The Espace Jules Verne has opened in October 2008.
Partnerships
The Maison d'Ailleurs represents an ever-expanding research and documentation center, which has built a large network of partners over time. The museum collaborates with the European Space AgencyEuropean Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
(ESA), the University of Lausanne
University of Lausanne
The University of Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland was founded in 1537 as a school of theology, before being made a university in 1890. Today about 12,000 students and 2200 researchers study and work at the university...
, the Cité de l'Espace
Cité de l'espace
The Cité de l'espace is a theme park oriented towards space and the conquest of space. It was inaugurated in June 1997 and is situated on the eastern outskirts of Toulouse in France...
in
Toulouse (France), the International Trade Event in Bordeaux, the
"Utopiales
Utopiales
Utopiales is an annual international science fiction festival held in Nantes, France, probably the largest European event for the field. It covers science fiction and fantasy literature, film, fine arts, comics, role-playing games, and animation, from a distinctly European point of view...
" festival in Nantes (France), the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, and it is part of the
Science et Cité network in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
Among its studies, the Maison d'Ailleurs has coordinated an important research funded by the ESA to try to find, in science fiction works, imaginary inventions related to astronautics and space
conquest technologies.
In a partnership with the ESA and the Agence Martienne (Martian Agency), the Maison d'Ailleurs has realised the most
important science fiction image library in the world. The museum has
also been mandated by Pro Helvetia
Pro Helvetia
The foundation Pro Helvetia is a public foundation of Switzerland, held by Confédération Suisse.-Presidents:*From 1939 to 1943, Heinrich Häberlin.*From 1944 to 1952, Paul Lachenal.*From 1952 to 1964, Jean-Rodolphe de Salis....
to prepare an important itinerary exhibition project about Swiss artists working in cinema and
video games.