Visit Barry in Bern

Barry, the most famous rescue dog in the world, died 200 years ago but remains a legend to this day. In the Bern’s Natural History Museum (www.nmbe.ch) you can plan your trip to visit Barry.
 
Barry was born in 1800. In the same year, Thomas Jefferson was elected the 3rd President of the United States and Schiller's Mary Stuart was premiered. Barry lived as a rescue dog in the hospice on the Great St. Bernard Pass , which lies almost 2500 meters above sea level. The hospice has been run by the Augustinian canons since the 11th century. Crossing the pass was life-threatening at any time of year. The canons and their servants rescued those buried or lost. Over time, the canons had the dogs accompany them in their search for missing people. Together they saved over 2000 people from death in over 200 years . Barry is said to have helped rescue 40 people - he was already a legend during his lifetime.
 
The rescue dogs were not avalanche dogs in the modern sense. Their most important task was to find the way back to the hospice, even in heavy snowstorms. Barry was certainly an extraordinary dog. However, many of the legends surrounding Barry are still not confirmed. For example, that Barry was killed by a French soldier who mistook him for a wolf. At that time, there were still a few wolves living on the Great St. Bernard Pass. And in May 1800, Napoleon crossed the pass with around 46,000 soldiers. But Barry was only just born that year.
 
Barry died in Bern in 1814. He spent the last two years of his life in Bern in retirement. He was brought to the federal capital at the request of the prior. History confirms that Barry must have been a special dog and you can have your photo taken next to him.

Source:​https://www.nmbe.ch/de/ausstellungen/barry