Farm Fiction: Experiencing Narrative Identities in the Swiss Ballenberg Museum

Abstract

This qualitative hermeneutic case study examines the Swiss Open-Air Museum Ballenberg as a dynamic narrative landscape in which collective identity is performatively negotiated through spatial, material, and cultural scripts. Drawing on Bruner’s concept of narrative identity, Halbwachs’ theory of collective memory, and material-relational perspectives from phenomenological archaeology and New Materialism, the study investigates how museum spatial arrangements mediate memory and belonging. The analyses integrate phenomenological field observations with GIS-based spatial methods (kernel density and viewshed analyses) to identify two recurring spatial patterns–“aggregation fields” and “percolation fields.” These spatial formations activate affective narratives that reveal Ballenberg as a performative site where hegemonic national myths are simultaneously reproduced and subtly contested. By connecting narrative psychology, memory studies, and spatial humanities, the study demonstrates how objects and landscapes function as coconstructors of collective meaning. The findings hold implications for museology and public history, emphasizing the need for reflexive curatorial practices that acknowledge the politics of memory embedded in heritage environments.

Plain Language Summary

This article aims to examine how the Swiss Open-Air Museum Ballenberg near Brienz, Switzerland shapes collective identity through its spatial design. The museum presents traditional and historical farmhouses and depictions of rural life from across Switzerland, creating a walkable landscape of national and cultural memory. The study demonstrates that the museum’s space is not neutral: it aims to guide how visitors think and feel about the nation’s past. Using on-site observations and digital mapping, the study identifies two recurring spatial formations supporting different types of cultural association. The first, named “aggregation fields,” refer to areas that closely group buildings and exhibits from the same regions together. These spaces evoke a strong sense of regional belonging, reinforcing the idea of local identity within a broader national frame. Meanwhile, the second, named “percolation fields,” connect objects, buildings, and views from different parts of Switzerland. They encourage visitors to make connections across regional borders and view the country as closely connected within while being clearly separated from the world outside. These spaces provide a sense of unity while keeping the nation’s image inward-looking and self-contained. In conclusion, the study shows that museums can shape meaning not only through what they display but also how they arrange their space and the feelings these spaces evoke in the audience.