Nativity scenes from around the world

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Woodcarving and woodcrafts have been practised at a high level in the mountain village of Brienz in the Bernese Oberland since the 1900s. This crèche created in 1915 by Hans Huggler-Wyss was the first hand-carved nativity scene in Switzerland. © Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum

Nativity figures from the 1800s, Monastery St Anna, Lucerne. © Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum

An angel with a colourfully embroidered skirt from the early 1900s. © Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum

The nativity figures from South Korea wear typical national costumes from historical times. The clothes are made of silk. © Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum

Nativity figures from the 1800s, Monastery St Anna, Lucerne. © Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum

This manger scene from Barcelona is in typical oriental style, with hand-carved figures. The clothing, soaked first in sugar water, is designed directly on the clay figures. © Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum

The so-called Shopka from Crakow, Poland, a travelling nativity scene from the 1960s, shows Death and a witch circling and mocking King Herod because he wasn't able to prevent the birth of Christ. © Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum

The birth of Jesus is depicted in a yurt in Mongolia. The clothing is made of felt. This manger scene was created as part of a women's aid project in 2005. © Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum

This crèche, created in the high Andes mountains of Peru around 1950, shows the Three Wise Men in typical local costumes. © Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum

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Crèches in a variety of colours, styles and materials are on show at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich. The nativity figures - ranging in size from 50 to 78 cm - were created in the late 1700s and the 1800s.

At the centre of the exhibit are the museum’s own nativity figures. Surrounding these are nativity scenes featuring figures from Barcelona, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Peru and Poland, loaned from the nativity figures museum in Stein am Rhein. (All photos: Swiss National Museum)