Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Ecomuseum of Alsace was founded in 1980 by the association "Maisons paysannes d`Alsace", which, since 1972, saved from the destruction of traditional buildings and objects through a network of volunteers. Supported by the Haut-Rhin Department and the Alsace Region, this initiative opened up to the public in 1984. The success of the project led to the creation of a subsidiary dedicated to tourism development, involving regional companies for a second phase of expansion.

In 1991, the "Operating Association for the Ecomuseum" was created to manage the real estate heritage, receiving the contribution of the buildings collected by "Peasant Houses of Alsace". It also merged its resources in 2003 with the Rodolphe Diamond Development Association, adjacent to the site, in order to unify the means for a new phase of development, always supported by local authorities, including the Haut-Rhin Department.

The museum spans 45 hectares and features over 60 buildings dating from the 15th to 19th centuries (including a 13th century fortified house), dismantled and reconstructed from various Alsatian sites such as the Sundgau or the sub-vosgian hillsides. It features artisanal, agricultural, domestic activities, as well as industrial and recreational sites, such as forain art, offering an immersion in Alsatian rural life.

Labeled "Musée de France", the ecomuseum is managed by an associative and public structure, combining heritage conservation and tourist attraction. Its official address, according to the Museofile base, is located in Ungersheim (Insee code 68082), in the Upper Rhine, although often associated with Ensisheim for close historical or geographical reasons.

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