The best museums Switzerland

The majestic castle overlooks the Rhone Valley, opposite the castle of Valère. It is one of the four castles of Sion. Built in the 13th century by Boniface de Challant, it was damaged in the 15th century by the Valaisan patriots, then restored by William VI of Raron, who added a chapel. The castle of Tourbillon was then the summer residence of the bishops until the fire of 1788. Classified as a historic monument by the Canton of Valais at the beginning of the last century, Tourbillon was recognised as a site of national importance by the Confederation in 1970.

The narrow entrance to the museum leads to a 500 m² space where the entire history of photography is retraced, from the magic lanterns to the digital age. The collection of cameras is impressive and the explanations are detailed, especially concerning a whole series of amazing inventions such as the photographic cane, in 1902, which made it possible to take pictures discreetly! A special course has been planned for the younger ones.

It's been around since 1959, and is one of the most popular museums in the country! The Swiss Museum of Transport presents the history of mobility and communication through exhibitions, interactive terminals and films. More than 3,000 exhibits are housed in an area of over 20 hectares, covering the history of traffic on road, rail and water, in the air and in space. A train simulator lets you slip into the shoes of a locomotive driver.

It's a paradise for children, who choose their own miniature locomotives to take their parents for a ride! Scale models of over fifteen steam, petrol and electric locomotives take you on a tour of the park, where typical local and international architecture has been precisely reproduced. Originally designed for the private maintenance and running of these little model railways, the park is now open to all, to the delight of young and old alike. The park is very welcoming and well-maintained.

The foundation has been in existence for fifty years and continues to perpetuate local traditions and know-how. You will be immersed in life-size Swiss architecture with more than 80 traditional Swiss houses and farms, in their original state, with their fields, their vegetable gardens and their animals. You will discover the medicinal plant garden and numerous crafts, from bakers to blacksmiths, lacemakers and weavers (daily demonstrations).

This is one of the highlights of your visit to Bern. The Institution is mainly devoted to the life and work of Paul Klee, a German artist born in Switzerland, near Bern, to a father who was a music teacher and a mother who was a singer. From an early age, Klee turned to the plastic arts. On a trip to Tunisia in 1914, he wrote in his diary: "Color possesses me, I no longer need to search for it. This is what this happy moment means: I and color are one

Paul Klee flourished in abstraction, playing with symbols and colors. A professor at the Bauhaus in Weimar, he was at the height of his artistic powers from 1920 onwards. But the coming to power of the Nazis precipitated his end. Classified by them as a "degenerate artist", he moved to Switzerland before his death in 1940.

In a wave-shaped building designed by architect Renzo Piano, inaugurated in 2005, the Centre houses the world's largest collection of over 4,000 works, including paintings, watercolours and drawings by the painter. It also features exhibitions dedicated to other artists. In 2023, the public will discover the late works of Joan Miró. Under the title "New Horizons", 74 works produced from the late 1960s onwards are presented for the first time in Switzerland. At the beginning of 2024, the German Dadaist Hanna Höch will be in the spotlight. Finally, as a true cultural center, the establishment offers concerts in its auditorium.

This former episcopal residence, converted into a museum, houses the archaeological finds of the Petit-Chasseur site. It is made up of two large historical sections dating from 50,000 BC to 2150! You can follow in the footsteps of the history of the Valais. We discover ceramic remains from the Roman period, and coins. An entire room is devoted to the magnificent wooden chests dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, known to be one of the most beautiful sets in Europe.

Built between the 12th and 13th centuries, the building harmoniously combines Romanesque and Gothic styles. See the altar and the statue of the Virgin from the 14th century. On the walls and the vault of the apse, all the paintings were made in the 15th century, especially the second register with the representation of twelve prophets. In the choir, there is a painting of the Adoration of the Magi and sculpted stalls that hide a 15th century fresco representing the Annunciation.

In the Plateforme 10 arts district, a new showcase has been designed to house unique collections of over 1.2 million phototypes. Exhibitions by renowned photographers such as Robert Doisneau and Irving Penn, as well as those by young talents, will be on show throughout the year in the permanent collection and in temporary exhibitions. Various meetings and conferences are organized throughout the year. The New Generation Museum shares its museum space with the MUDAC Design Museum.