The 9 best museums in Switzerland that you must visit

Switzerland is known for many things – but not necessarily for its museums. And if you do look for the Swiss museums, you will quickly come up with classics such as the National Museum, the Museum of Transport or the Technorama.

And rightly so, of course, because these museums are definitely worth a visit. Still, I’ve wondered which museums have amazed and surprised me on my travels over the past few years (and which ones may not be on the typical lists).

The result is a list of 9 Swiss museums that you shouldn’t miss: from museums in the city of Zurich to museum gems in the mountains.

1. Take an interactive look into the past and future at the Museum of Communication

In Bern’s Museum Quarter, you’ll be spoilt for choice. You can’t go wrong with the Museum of Communication in Bern. Here, visitors can get a glimpse into the past and the future of communication – also with reference to Switzerland.

What I particularly liked are the countless interactive elements: There is hardly a topic that cannot be discovered interactively. For example, visitors can re-enact famous Hollywood scenes or playfully try their hand at hacking.

Bonus tip: If you have enough time and like to solve puzzles, you should ask the staff about the trail (I won’t tell you more at this point).

Further information can be found on the website of the Museum of Communication. In my blog post “Tips for a weekend in Bern” you will find more ideas for activities in Bern.

2. Museum Franz Gertsch: Get up close and personal with one of Switzerland’s best-known contemporary artists

My second Swiss museum tip is also in the canton of Bern: the Museum Franz Gertsch in Burgdorf. Gertsch is considered one of Switzerland’s best-known contemporary artists. On the one hand, his work is shown in the museum, and on the other hand, a wide range of contemporary art can be found in a temporary exhibition.

Gertsch’s “Four Seasons Cycle” is particularly impressive. The four pictures could be mistaken for a photograph, they are drawn in such detail.

The museum is located in an imposing concrete building on the centrally located site of the former Milka Käserei AG. In the blog post about my trip to Burgdorf you will find ideas for what you can do after your visit to the museum.

3. Fondation Beyeler – Switzerland’s most popular art museum

An absolute must for this list is the Fondation Beyeler. The museum is one of the best-known and most visited museums in Switzerland. It’s no wonder that the Fondation Beyeler exhibits the world’s most renowned artists: from Rodin to Monet to Picasso.

The Fondation Beyeler is also architecturally impressive. The Fondation describes itself as “one of the most beautiful” art museums in the world. Art and architecture fans will get their money’s worth here.

If you have energy for other museums after visiting the Fondation Beyeler, you will find the right tips in the blog post about museum hopping in Basel. Information on the current exhibition can be found directly on the website of the Fondation Beyeler. 

4. MoMö – the Swiss museum tip for the whole family

MoMö may sound almost like MoMa – but MoMö is not an art museum (at least not in the classical sense). At MoMö in Arbon you can immerse yourself in the art of cider making and distilling.

Young and old alike can discover the history of the Möhl cider factory here, as well as many exciting facts about the processing of local fruit. And in the “juice shop”, the museum’s bar, there is also plenty of juice to try.

You can read about the best way to get to MoMö and when the museum is open on the MoMö website. You can find more excursion destinations in the apple canton in the blog post “10 great excursion destinations and special experiences in Thurgau“.

5. A journey through time through Swiss building culture at the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum

Even as a child, the Ballenberg was one of my favorite excursion destinations. This has not changed in adulthood. That’s why the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum should not be missing from this list.

Appenzell farmhouse, Valais alpine huts, Ticino log buildings – in the Ballenberg open-air museum, you can explore Swiss culture on more than 66 hectares. Every time I visit, I am fascinated by the ways of life of earlier times. In Ballenberg, history can be touched and experienced. This makes the open-air museum an absolute must-see for young and old.

The open-air museum is closed during the winter months and opens its doors in spring. More information about the opening hours can be found on the website of the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum.

6. Museum in Zurich? My tip: the Museum Rietberg

If you search for “Museum Zürich” on TripAdvisor, you will find Museum Rietberg in 2nd place among the most popular museums. In my opinion, quite rightly so.

In the Museum Rietberg you can expect art from the cultures of America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. These include, for example, exhibitions of manga or photographs from distant cultures. I also found the interactive access to Buddhism via a web application called “next click Nirvana” interesting.

And if you visit the museum in the Zurich Enge district, you should also take time for a walk in the Rieterpak. The park is undoubtedly one of the most impressive landscape gardens in the city of Zurich.

You can find even more leisure tips in and around Zurich in the blog post “Leisure activities around Zurich“. Everything about the current exhibitions and opening hours of the Museum Rietberg can be found on their website.

7. The Modern Mountain Museum: World Nature Forum

Anyone who hears or reads Swiss museums quickly thinks of the big cities such as Zurich or Basel. And yes, there are great museums to discover there. But you can also combine an excursion or a weekend in the mountains with a visit to a museum. For example, with a visit to the World Nature Forum in Naters.

Visitors can expect a modern and interactive museum. Young and old alike can go on a journey of discovery here and learn exciting facts about the flora and fauna around the Aletsch Glacier.

You can also immerse yourself in the history of the Jungfrau Railways in the museum – including a virtual southern approach to the Jungfraujoch.

An absolute must for all museum visitors are the delicious homemade ice creams in the museum restaurant. In the blog post about my mountain weekend in Blatten-Belalp you will find more excursion ideas in the region. For the most important information about the World Nature Forum, please visit their website.

8. Historic and fascinating: the Muzeum Susch

An absolute gem of the museum is the Muzeum Susch. It was opened in 2019 in the small, tranquil mountain village of Susch. The “Muzeum” for contemporary art is part of a historic ensemble of buildings. Both the exhibits and the architecture are eye-catching – so much so that I prefer to let pictures speak for themselves at this point.

Information about Muzeum Susch can be found on the museum’s website. For more excursion tips around Scuol, I recommend my blog post.

9. Immerse yourself in times gone by at Chaplin’s World

After a long time, I recently visited the Charlie Chaplin Museum in Vevey again. And the fascination with “Chaplin” grabbed me again after all these years.

Charlie Chaplin spent the last part of his life on this estate (notabene with a view of the lake and the Alps). Visitors can expect a mix of film sets and insights into the artist’s private life.
The museum is by no means just for fans and cineastes – children will also get their money’s worth here. And after the visit at the latest, they won’t forget the name “Charlie Chaplin” in a hurry. On the museum’s website you can find information about ticket prices, how to get there and opening hours.

Of course, there are even more museums to discover in Switzerland, according to the FSO, there were almost 1100 museums in Switzerland in 2021.

But if you are looking for other tips for a bad weather trip, click here for the article with tips for a bad weather program.