Sonnenhof Museum

The Sonnenhof Museum, located in Bischwiller, tells the story of a unique human journey spanning 140 years. Founded in 1876 as the "Protestant asylum for idiots" in Oberhoffen-sur-Moder, the institution evolved into the Protestant Sonnenhof Foundation, now welcoming people with intellectual disabilities, autism, multiple disabilities, or elderly individuals. The permanent exhibition, designed by retired educator Gerdy Dreyer, is based on historical archives rediscovered by chance in old trunks. Among these documents is a founding deed written in German Gothic script. The museum displays period objects, tools, clothing, wheelchairs, and old photographs, organized both chronologically and thematically: school, work, leisure, war, and choir. A film accompanies the visit, highlighting the human values upheld by the institution and reminding visitors that "every life is a light." Guided tours are available year-round by reservation only.