THE COLLECTION OF THE MUSÉE SCOUT MARCHAL
(MARCHAL SCOUT MUSEUM)
THE COLLECTION
The Marchal collection was created by a remarkable man in the small mountain village of Bullet, Switzerland. The village is – or was – famous for two things: mechanical musical instruments, and the Marchal Scout Museum.
The Musée Marchal, inaugurated in 1983, occupied many rooms in his large home and was open only by appointment. Its many "pilgrims" did not simply visit the museum. Starting with a magnificent view of the Alps from the terrace, every guest was guided by Mr. Marchal and often by his wife Solange. One learned first-hand about Scouting, and much more, from a couple who lived so much of its history. The experience of the visit was unforgettable.
His collections not only occupied garages and attics, but also the indoor swimming pool. The large display of Scout uniforms and flags could be raised electrically to the ceiling, thereby uncovering the pool for his daily swim.
He combined Scouting’s history with the unique Swiss craftsmanship for making complex mechanical devices by commissioning several animated pieces. These remain part of the collection on display at the Las Vegas International Scouting Museum.
Prior to his death in 1997, Mr. Marchal often expressed the desire that his Scouting collection should remain together and be made available to the greatest number of people. After searching worldwide, Mrs Marchal chose Dr. Robert Lynn Horne, and the new Scouting museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, as the person and place to fulfill Claude’s wish.
CLAUDE MARCHAL
Born in France in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris on November 6, 1927, Claude Marchal was a Cub Scout, Scout, and Explorer Scout until the age of 20.
Shortly after World War II in 1947, while he was the International Commissioner of the Scouts de France, Claude helped organize the 6th World Scout Jamboree – the Jamboree of Peace – in Moisson, France. Not only was this the first World Jamboree in ten years it was also the first one since the death of Lord Robert Baden Powell, the founder of Scouting.
It made a life-long impression on him to see 24,000 young people, many from countries which had just been at war with one another, living together peacefully as Scouts.
Claude earned his Woodbadge certificate at the famous Gilwell Park in England, and over the years traveled the world to attend Scouting events of many types. He was also a member of the Baden-Powell World Fellowship.
As a collector of Scouting memorabilia, Claude had a keen eye for collecting a wide variety of items representing Scouting’s rich history: badges, posters, commercial products, stamps, post cards, coins, and much more. He created the Scouting Collector’s Network, a group of people with similar interests who meet periodically at different locations around the world.
His dedication to preserving the history and importance of Scouting included financial support for the important 1998 publication of The Undaunted – The Survival and Revival of Scouting in Central and Eastern Europe by Piet J. Kroonenberg.
Scouting was only one of Claude Marchal’s collecting passions. Two others were the automobile industry, where his father made the name "Marchal" synonymous in many countries with automobile headlights, spark plugs, and auto racing; and he was the pre-eminent European collector of mechanical musical instruments. These collections, plus an extensive French-language collection of Scouting publications, have found new homes elsewhere.
Claude died suddenly on January 26, 1997, at the age of 69, as a result of complications from routine surgery.
Solange Marchal, also a Baden-Powell Fellow, currently lives in Bullet, Switzerland and remains active in the Baden-Powell Fellowship programs world-wide.