A CHF60m (US$60.7m, €54.4m, £42m) museum dedicated to the life and times of Charlie Chaplin at the former home of the cinema legend, has been set an opening date of 17 April.
More than 15 years in the making, the Chaplin attraction in the village of Corsier-sur-Vevey will open a day after the star’s 127th birthday.
The British actor, who spent the last 25 years of his life living in Switzerland, made the Manoir de Ban his home in 1952 after being banned from returning to the US because of alleged political leanings.
The run-down estate overlooking Lake Geneva was purchased by Luxembourgian investment firm Genii Capital in 2008 with the intention of redeveloping it into a museum. Once work is complete, Chaplin’s World will cover more than 3,000sq m (32,200sq ft) and will showcase Chaplin memorabilia presented with a multimedia and cinematographic format.
The manor itself will form half of the museum, while a separate building is being mocked-up as a Hollywood studio, taking a look at Chaplin’s on-screen work. The site will also include a movie theatre and an outdoor stage.
Major renovation works have taken place to make the site – vacant since 2008 – safe for public use. French museum operator Grévin is developing the attraction, its fifth including waxwork museums in Paris, Montreal, Seoul and Prague.
