Charlie Chaplin is one of the great comedic actors of the 20th Century and he consistently made the world laugh with his antics despite the fact that he made films without sound.
Now, 38 years after his death and after 15 long years of planning the best way to honor his contributions to the entertainment industry, the very first museum dedicated solely to Chaplin built in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Geneva- the village that Chaplin and his family called home for many years- was opened to the public on April 17.
"He was able to live a normal life here. He found the right life-work balance here in Switzerland [...] his real happiness was here for 25 years," Chaplin's World's Swiss-Canadian Director Jean-Pierre Pigeon said.
The museum was opened to the public on April 17 but the actual ribbon cutting ceremony was held on April 16-Charlie Chaplin's birth anniversary-and his children and many of his grandchildren were present to represent the brilliant artist.
"Become a guest at the Manoir de Ban, following in the footsteps of some of the greatest celebrities of Chaplin's time, and gain insight into the private life of the artist and man ," the Chaplin's World website invites.
Chaplin's World worked with the Grevin Museum in Paris for the wax figures of Charlie Chaplin and his friends, the equally famous Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill, which are all on the 35-acre grounds where the museum stands. The museum is composed of The Manor, The Studio and The Park, which would allow visitors to see Chaplin as a whole: a family man, an artist practicing his craft, and a man seeking inspiration from his environment.
Let us guide you into the magic of #charliechaplin! #ChaplinsWorld #chaplinisbackhome #montreuxriviera pic.twitter.com/adamxXuU11
— Chaplin's World (@chaplins_world) April 17, 2016
The organizers for Chaplin's World are hoping to reach around 300,000 visitors per year and they may actually reach the target number of visitors because of a nearby medieval castle and chocolate factory that tourists also flock to-just don't mistake these tourist spots for another Charlie and a certain peculiar Chocolate Factory.
Pigeon is convinced that Chaplin would have been happy to know that such an honor was bestowed upon him if he were alive today.
"[...] there was one thing he was scared of: being forgotten," Pigeon notes.
Now that the Museum is open and the world can enjoy his works once more, perhaps Chaplin no longer has anything to fear.
