Swiss National Museum, Zürich
Located next to the train station, the Swiss National Museum (Schweizerisches Landesmuseum) in Zürich is a massive and important museum that provides an epic survey of the culture and history of the Swiss people.
What to See
The museum's vast collection is housed in a 19th-century Neo-Gothic castle. The displays include a large amount of medieval religious art that has not been welcome in Zürich's churches since the Reformation. These exhibits, shown mostly on the ground floor, range from 9th-century Carolingian art to frescoes from the Convent Church of Mustair and 16th-century stained glass from Tanikon Convent.
There is a Zwingli Room about the Swiss Reformation and an exceptional prehistoric section, with some artifacts dating from the 4th millennium BC. The rest of the collection includes a large display of Roman clothing, medieval silverware, 14th-century drinking bowls, and 17th-century china, as well as painted furniture, costumes, and dollhouses of various periods.
A display of weapons and armor shows the methods of Swiss warfare from 800 to 1800. There's also a reconstructed 18th-century apothecary and an exhibit tracing Swiss clockmaking from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
Special exhibitions are presented twice annually, lasting between 3 and 6 months. Themes are always different; a recent one was devoted to Swiss fashion design.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Swiss National Museum; Schweizerisches Landesmuseum |
| Address: | Museumstrasse 2, Zürich, Switzerland |
| Phone: | 01/218-65-11 |
| Tram: | 3, 4, 5, 11, 13, or 14 |
| Hours: | Tues-Sun 10:30am-5pm |
| Cost: | 5F adults, 3F students and seniors, special exhibitions 8F-12F |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of the Swiss National Museum. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Zurich Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Personal visit (exterior and lobby only; December 2006).
- Rick Steves' Switzerland
- Frommer's Switzerland
- The Rough Guide to Switzerland
