A bird’s eye view

Since the emergence of civil aviation, Switzerland has been documented comprehensively using aerial photographs. The images from a bird’s eye perspective have not simply been consigned to the archives; they hang in many public buildings and private homes, and shape the visual memory of the country. In the early years after its foundation in 1931, the aerial photographs business was more lucrative than passenger flights for Swissair. The “Switzairland” exhibition at the Museum Bellpark in Kriens runs until 22 November. Thousands of photos are available online at the “BildarchivOnline” in the Federal Institute of Technology’s library: ba.e-pics.ethz.ch