Museum of Cultures (Munsterplatz 20, Basel) – this is the largest ethnological museum in Switzerland and holds one the most significant collections in Europe on life in European and non-European cultures (with over 300,000 artifacts from Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and the Pre-Columbian Americas, as well as a 50,000 collection of historic photos). The museum […]
Musée d’Art et d’Histoire (Rue C. Galland 2, Geneva) – this is the largest museum in Geneva. It has a veritable catalogue of western culture with over one million pieces in its collection organized in three different wings. The Archeology wing contains relics from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Fine Arts wing houses paintings […]
Matterhorn Museum (Bahnhofplatz 5, Zermatt) — the underground world of the Matterhorn Museum – Zermatlantis reveals the past of the village of Zermatt. With original houses, multimedia room and objects from the first ascent of the Matterhorn. A visit to the museum is a must for every guest. On view is the development of […]
Kunsthaus Zürich (Heimplatz 1, Zürich) – a.k.a. Museum of Modern Art in Zürich, it has Zürich’s largest collection of modern art and is known both for its permanent art collection and its temporary exhibitions. Along with works by Alberto Giacometti, there are also artworks by Picasso, Monet and Chagall, as well as numerous contemporary Swiss […]
International Red Cross & Red Crescent Museum (Avenue de la Paix 17, Geneva) — the Red Cross is one of the numerous international bodies associated with Geneva. This museum pursues its progress from the mid-19th century, when local businessman Henry Dunant first conceived of a transnational group which would help the afflicted in times of […]
HR Giger Museum (Château St. Germain, Gruyères) – this museum showcases the largest collection of works by Swiss artist H.R. Giger (1940-2014), a long-time resident of Zürich. This museum encompasses his paintings, sculptures, furniture and film designs — dating from the early 1960’s until the present day (including the Hollywood film “Alien”). Giger won an […]
Fraumunster (Stadthausquai 19, Zürich) – this 13th century church, located on the west bank of the Limmat River, is one of the best-known landmarks in Zürich (with its narrow blue spire standing out in the city skyline). Nowadays, many visitors marvel at the five stained glass windows prepared by Marc Chagall in the 1960’s, as […]
Foundation EG Bührle (Zollikerstrasse 172, Zürich) — The art collection of Emil Georg Bührle (1890-1956), a Zürich industrialist, is among the most important 20th-century private collections of European art. French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism constitute the core of the collection. Around these works is an ensemble of 19th-century French art that paved the way for Impressionism […]
FocusTerra (Sonneggstrasse 5, Unterstrasse, Zürich) — run by the ETH’s university’s geology department, this museum focuses on our planet and its wonders. From rocks and minerals to volcanism and plate tectonics there is a lot to learn. If you participate in a guided tour you will even be allowed inside the spectacular unforgettable earthquake simulator! […]
Chateau de Chillon (Av. de Chillon 21, Veytaux/Montreux) – this is an oval-shaped 13th century fortress occupying a stunning setting on the eastern shores of Lake Geneva. For 400 years, this castle was the residence of the Counts of Savoy. This architectural gem, in existence for 1,000 years, has inspired writers from Lord Byron to […]