Build · Preserve · Pass On: The 800 Years of the Fondation de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame

The Fondation de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame, a unique institution in France, has been caring for Strasbourg Cathedral for eight centuries. This exhibition traces its history from its founding in the early 13th century by the bishop and canons to the present day, highlighting its central role in preserving the building and its unique craftsmanship. From the 1280s, the City took control, and the institution became one of the oldest cathedral workshops in Europe, with techniques inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2020.

The exhibition reveals the diversity and richness of collections preserved continuously since the Middle Ages: real estate and land holdings, drawings, plans, engravings, photographs, casts, sculptures, and ancient tools. These resources, further enriched by productions related to current restoration projects, make Strasbourg Cathedral one of the best-documented monuments in France.

Through fifteen sections, the exhibition-path installed at the Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame, in the Fondation’s historic house since 1931, celebrates eight centuries of exceptional commitment to preserving Strasbourg’s heritage and passing on these still-living skills.