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The invention of spectacles was a huge cultural leap forward for mankind. After 700 years of development, being able to buy the spectacles that perfectly meet our requirements, choosing from an almost inexhaustible diversity, is something we now take for granted. It has not always been the case. In earlier times, vision aids were miniature works of art, reserved for a very small number of people.

The “Eyewear” special exhibition in the Doll’s House Museum Basel takes visitors around the world on a journey through time. It tells them about the first vision aids in ancient Syria, China and Europe, documents the development of spectacles from a misshapen vision aid to a fashionable accessory and portrays two well-known contemporary designers. The fact that eyewear can also be objets d’art is evidenced by works from the collection of Claude Bader, creations by the Japanese artist Ryo Yamashita and by the sisters Rachel Cohen-Lunning and Merrilee Lichtenstein Cohen (Mercura NYC), as well as a glimpse into the future.

One highlight of the exhibition consists of spectacles worn by celebrities, among them the ostentatious glasses of Sir Elton John, those of the unforgettable Marilyn Monroe, the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer or the Swiss ski-jumping legend Simon Ammann. Also featured are spectacles of the eccentric Basel couturier Fred Spillmann.

The special exhibition in the Doll’s House Museum is divided into seven thematic areas and presents more than 500 objects. Film presentations, free spectacles sampling with an iPad app, free workshops for children on Saturdays and Sundays and an attractive eyewear competition turn a visit to the Doll’s House Museum Basel into an entertaining and informative time for young and old.