In 1983, the Cinémathèque suisse put its collection of magic lanterns on display for the public at the Palais de Beaulieu. This optical device was used for centuries as an educational and recreational instrument, playing a leading role in establishing a series of cultural practices in which cinema found its place at the end of the 19th century.
The first magic lanterns that projected images painted on glass onto a screen were made by Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens. They soon became known as “fear lanterns”, as they were used to project gruesome images and devilish figures. Perfected over the decades, they started being mass-produced in the 19th century and became household items.