The Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum Hildesheim, mostly dedicated to Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Peruvian art, also includes the second largest collection of Chinese porcelain in Europe. Furthermore, the museum owns collections of natural history, ethnology, applied arts, drawings and prints, local history and arts, as well as archeology. Apart from the permanent exhibitions, the museum hosts temporary exhibitions of other archaeological and contemporary topics.
In 2000, the old building, originally built in the 1950s, was replaced by a new building, significantly increasing the space available for exhibitions.
The current museum is the result of the union of the Roemer Museum, founded in 1844 (and named after one of the founders, Herrmann Roemer), and the Pelizaeus Museum, established in 1911, that had housed the private collection of Egyptian antiques of Wilhelm Pelizaeus.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.