Basel

Cultural institutions

Basel is home to 37 museums, an extraordinary number for a city of its size. In addition to its world-famous institutions, major public artworks include Richard Serra&rsquo;s monumental sculpture Intersection and Jean Tinguely&rsquo;s whimsical fountain, a collection of fanciful, water-shooting&nbsp;sculptures.&nbsp;
Institutions marked with a * offer complimentary admission for recipients of Art Basel First Choice and Preview Card as well as Premium+ and Premium+ Discovery during show week.

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The Basel Museum of Ancient Art is the only Swiss museum devoted exclusively to the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean region. The permanent exhibition contains ancient art mainly from Egyptian, Greek, Italic, Etruscan and Roman cultures. Located in the heart of the city of Basel, the museum is a place where the ancient world is regularly cast in a new light.

Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig

The Cartoonmuseum Basel is the only museum and centre of excellence in Switzerland devoted exclusively to narrative art. By collecting, presenting and mediating, the museum contributes to the debate surrounding this art form and the social issues that it addresses.

Cartoon Museum Basel - Centre for Narrative Art*

The Fondation Beyeler is a museum of modern and contemporary art open 365 days a year. It is considered one of the world's most beautiful museums. Its exhibitions of renowned artists of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries have brought the museum international recognition and established it as one of the most popular art museums in Switzerland.

Fondation Beyeler*

Since 2011, HEK (House of Electronic Arts) in Basel has been the Swiss competence center and museum for contemporary media art and digital cultures. It presents art that utilizes new technologies and addresses the engagement with technological and digital developments. Additionally, the HEK is committed to the collection and preservation of digital art, building a corresponding collection of software and web-based art.

HEK (House of Electronic Arts)*

The Basel Historical Museum with its three sites is widely regarded as the most important museum of cultural history on the Upper Rhine. It collects, conserves, records and researches objects and artefacts of relevance to our cultural heritage for future generations, tells visitors the story of Basel, and is a place for discourse and engagement with both present and future.

Basel Historical Museum

Kaserne Basel is one of the most important venues for the independent contemporary theatre, dance, performance and popular music scene in Switzerland.

Kaserne Basel*

The Kunsthaus Baselland is among the leading exhibition venues for regional, national and international contemporary art in the Basel region. Over the last 25 years, the institution has offered artists a platform for artistic exchange in the framework of solo, group or thematic exhibitions. Numerous artists have had their first institutional showing in Switzerland or in Europe here.

Kunsthaus Baselland*

Since its founding in 1872, Kunsthalle Basel has been a place where contemporary art is exhibited, discussed, and reflected upon, and is known for its deep commitment to emerging artists. With up to eight exhibitions annually, including new productions and accompanying events such as artist talks and performances, it provides a space for the contemplation and discussion of contemporary art.

Kunsthalle Basel*

The Kunstmuseum Basel is one of the world&rsquo;s best-known museums and invites you on a journey through art history from the 15th century to the present day at three locations. Its prestigious collection &ndash; the first ever publicly accessible art collection &ndash; and internationally acclaimed exhibitions provide unforgettable art experiences.

Kunstmuseum Basel*

Based on Tinguely&rsquo;s imaginative universe, Museum Tinguely proposes a diverse programme that always seeks topical dialogue with other artists and artforms, offering an interactive experience that appeals to all of the senses. Museum Tinguely is located on the banks of the Rhine in Basel. Opened in 1996, it was designed by Ticino architect Mario Botta and houses the world&rsquo;s largest collection of works by the fascinating Swiss artist Jean Tinguely (1925&ndash;1991), a key pioneer of international post-war art.

Museum Tinguely*

The Pharmacy Museum of the University of Basel currently contains one of the largest and most significant collections relating to the history of pharmacy. The museum holds a scientific collection from the 1920s, which has been conserved until today. Highlights include apothecaries&rsquo; shops, historic medicaments, laboratory equipment, a complete alchemist&rsquo;s laboratory, microscopes and a famous collection of pharmacy ceramics (15th to 19th centuries). The house &lsquo;Zum vorderen Sessel&rsquo; is a historic location where famous men such as Erasmus of Rotterdam and Paracelsus were frequent visitors.

Pharmacy Museum of the University of Basel

Schaulager was founded in 2003 with the aim of combining the storage and display of contemporary art. As a research institution, storage facility and venue for exhibitions and events in one, it provides specialists with unique research opportunities and a platform for dialogue and exchange. In addition, Schaulager initiates exhibitions and projects to make contemporary art accessible to the general public. The operation of Schaulager is underwritten and overseen by the Laurenz Foundation.
The next project open to the public will be an installation by Steve McQueen, British artist, film director, producer, and screenwriter in June 2025.

Schaulager

The Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel (Toy Worlds Museum Basel) houses the largest collection of historical teddy bears, grocery shops, dolls, and contemporary miniatures. Visitors of all ages are welcome to join in, marvel, and experience our changing special exhibitions first-hand.

Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel

The Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein near Basel is an ensemble of production buildings, museums, contemporary architectural icons and inspiration for the home. Design enthusiasts and connoisseurs of architecture are invited to take a tour of the campus and discover buildings by some of the world&rsquo;s most renowned architects and view current exhibitions at the Vitra Design Museum.

Vitra Campus

CRAC Alsace is a contemporary art center dedicated to experimentation and creation. Through exhibitions, residencies, publications, and outreach programmes, CRAC Alsace supports artistic production by promoting the encounter between artists, publics and works of art. Located in Altkirch, near Switzerland (Basel) and Germany (Freiburg-im-Breisgau), CRAC Alsace was founded by an association of artists which, at the beginning of the 1990s, took over its current premises, the former Altkirch high school, a Wilhelminian building constructed in 1889.

Altkirch, France

CRAC Alsace — Centre Rhénan d’Art Contemporain*

Fotomuseum Winterthur is at the forefront of presenting and discussing photography and visual culture. As part of its repertoire of temporary exhibitions devoted to individual artists and group shows, the museum displays works by young photographers as well as those with an established reputation. In addition, it examines photographic phenomena in the context of new technologies and digital media, exposing them to critical scrutiny. 
Fotomuseum Winterthur is in renovation until spring 2025. The exhibition spaces at Gr&uuml;zenstrasse 44 will remain closed.
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Winterthur, Switzerland

Fotomuseum Winterthur

In 2004, the former Fernet-Branca distillery in Saint-Louis in France, on the border with Basel, was transformed into an exhibition space for contemporary art by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. He created a 2300 m2 exhibition space, while preserving the industrial soul of the historic building from the early 20th century, where changing exhibitions and retrospectives of contemporary art are presented. The museum is managed by the Fondation Fernet-Branca since 2012.

Saint-Louis, France

Foundation Fernet-Branca*

Museum Haus Konstruktiv is the leading institution for constructivist-concrete, and conceptual art in Switzerland, and is highly regarded internationally. This art form, characterized by the accomplishments of the Zurich Concretists surrounding Max Bill, Richard Paul Lohse, Camille Graeser, and Verena Loewensberg from the 1930s to 1950s, is now so essential to the landscape of modernism, that it is no longer possible to imagine this landscape without it. We have made it our task to keep this art-historical heritage alive and to link it to contemporary art.
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Zürich, Switzerland

Haus Konstruktiv

The Helmhaus is a cultural institution run by the City of Zurich. It is housed in a historical building in the heart of the old city, where it shows four to five exhibitions per year. What makes the Helmhaus unique is that since its change of programme in 1988 and again in 2001, it has been the only art institution in Zurich to be dedicated primarily to local contemporary art. Some 100&ndash;150 artists exhibit works in all media at the Helmhaus every year.

Helmhaus

At Kunsthalle Bern, our exhibitions, events and education programmes offer opportunities for people to encounter, experience and participate in contemporary art that inspires, challenges, and transforms. Our aim is to be a leading international contemporary art institution, presenting groundbreaking exhibitions, informative and thought-provoking public programmes and events that engage our community.

Bern, Switzerland

Kunsthalle Bern

Works by Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, Ferdinand Hodler and Meret Oppenheim have made the Kunstmuseum Bern an institution with an international reputation. At the present time, the constantly growing and evolving collection consists of over 4,000 paintings and sculptures as well as 50,000 drawings, prints, photographs, videos and films.&nbsp;

Kunstmuseum Bern

The Kunstmuseum Luzern is one of the most important art museums in Switzerland. Focussed on current issues, open to the general public, barrier-free and inclusive, it promotes diversity and exchange. A varied programme is ensured by means of ambitious temporary exhibitions with an international flair, a judicious presentation of the collection, and first solo exhibitions of works by young artists.

Lucerne, Switzerland

Kunstmuseum Luzern

Kunsthalle Z&uuml;rich exhibits internationally relevant contemporary art and ideas that relate to it. Each exhibition is an experiment. Thus the Kunsthalle continually reassesses art, its public and itself.

Kunsthalle Zürich

The Kunsthaus Z&uuml;rich presents one of the most important art collections in Switzerland from the 13th century to the present day and organises attractive exhibitions. The internationally significant collection includes the largest Munch collection outside Norway and the most extensive collection of works by Alberto Giacometti.
A highlight are the Impressionist and Classical Modernist paintings by Monet, Picasso, Chagall and the Expressionists Kokoschka, Beckmann and Corinth. In addition to the Pop Art by Warhol and Hamilton, works by artists such as Rothko, Twombly, Beuys and Baselitz are also represented.
Medieval sculptures and panel paintings, Dutch and Italian Baroque paintings (Rembrandt, Domenichino) are followed by 19th and 20th century Swiss painting by Fuseli, Segantini, Hodler, Vallotton and Zurich Concretists such as Bill, Glarner and Loewensberg.
The important B&uuml;hrle, Merzbacher and Looser Collections can be seen in the extension by David Chipperfield Architects.&nbsp;
Complimentary admission upon registration for VIP cardholders only.

Kunsthaus Zürich

In the former Grandhotel Thunerhof, the Kunstmuseum Thun presents four to five temporary exhibitions of mainly contemporary art every year. In addition to themed and monographic special exhibitions, one collection exhibition is organised each year. In addition to the art museum, the Thun Panorama in Schadaupark is home to the oldest surviving circular painting in the world. It shows the town of Thun over 200 years ago. Seasonal temporary exhibitions are presented in the extension building.

Thun, Switzerland

Kunstmuseum Thun

The Kunst Museum Winterthur | Beim Stadthaus is the oldest of Winterthur&rsquo;s museums. In 1848 the Kunstverein Winterthur (Art Association Winterthur) was founded, and the building opened in 1916. The house hosts one of the most beautiful modern art collections of Switzerland with outstanding group of works from impressionism to contemporary art.&nbsp;

Kunstmuseum Winterthur

La Kunsthalle is the contemporary art center of the City of Mulhouse. It organizes exhibitions and a program based on artistic creation and research. Thanks to its commitment and wide selection of events, La Kunsthalle is able to build close relationships with other art centers in the local area, across the Swiss and German borders, and further afield.

Mulhouse, France

La Kunsthalle Mulhouse*

Kunst-Raum Riehen is the public art and culture exhibition venue of the municipality of Riehen. Its focus is primarily on regional and contemporary works from all art disciplines, presented in temporary exhibitions.

Riehen, Switzerland

Kunst-Raum Riehen

The Luma Foundation&rsquo;s exhibition spaces Luma Westbau and schwarzescaf&eacute; are part of the refurbished and expanded L&ouml;wenbr&auml;ukunst art complex in Zurich. Luma Westbau opened in 2013, presenting international projects, exhibitions and events commissioned and produced by the Luma Foundation.
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Luma Westbau

The Migros Museum f&uuml;r Gegenwartskunst has been discussing the pressing issues of our time, since it was established in 1996, inspired by the approaches and works of international contemporary artists. We offer a forum for active discussions about art in the context of social responsibility. Following in this tradition, we endeavour to reach an audience as diverse and wide as possible.

Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst

The Museum f&uuml;r Gestaltung Z&uuml;rich is the leading Swiss museum for design and visual communication. Since its foundation in 1875, the museum has included what has taken effect as design. Its internationally acclaimed collection comprises over half a million objects from the history of design.

Museum für Gestaltung

The Museum Rietberg is one of the largest art museums in Switzerland. With a focus on the traditional and contemporary arts and cultures of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania, it has some 23,000 objects and 44,000 photographs in its collections. Most of the objects are on public display, either in the museum&rsquo;s galleries or in its open storeroom.

Museum Rietberg

Fine arts, photography and design brought together in one single spot near Lausanne station, in a cultural area that is unique in Switzerland. Plateforme 10, a new 25,000 m2 arts district a few steps from Lausanne&rsquo;s railway station, brings together the Mus&eacute;e cantonal des Beaux-Arts (MCBA), Photo Elys&eacute;e and the mudac, Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts.

Lausanne, Switzerland

Plateforme 10

For almost 25 years, international and Swiss artists have produced site-specific sculptures for the meadows and woods around Sch&ouml;nthal, having first familiarised themselves with the monastery, its history and the archaic landscape. The gradual development of the collection makes it a work-in-progress. Until today 35 works by 28 artists line the paths and trails, for example: Miriam Cahn, Tony Cragg, Martin Disler, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Nigel Hall, Nicola Hicks, Ben Jakober, Hans Josephsohn, Richard Long, Steiner &amp; Lenzlinger, Not Vital and many more.

Langenbruck, Switzerland

Kloster Schönthal 1145

With the Zentrum Paul Klee, Italian star architect Renzo Piano has created a light-flooded landscape sculpture made of glass and concrete. The building with the three iconic hills is in the east of Bern. Based on Klee&rsquo;s activities as a painter, musician, teacher, writer and theorist, each of the building&rsquo;s three hills has its own task, which is intended to give expression to Klee&rsquo;s multifaceted artistic personality.

Zentrum Paul Klee

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The Nicola Erni Collection in Steinhausen near Zug houses an extensive art collection with a focus on photography and contemporary art.
Permanent collection:&nbsp;Artists include Doug Aitken, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mark Bradford, Elmgreen &amp; Dragset, Sylvie Fleury, Hassan Hajjaj, Duane Hanson, Rashid Johnson, Nick Knight, Peter Lindbergh, Beatriz Milhazes, Daido Moriyama, Helmut Newton, Julian Schnabel, Cindy Sherman and Andy Warhol.

Steinhausen, Switzerland

Nicola Erni Collection

The Bechtler Stiftung in Uster is permanently showing Walter de Maria's "The 2000 Sculpture" and Pipilotti Rist's video installation "I Couldn't Agree With You More". In addition to these works, it presents temporary exhibitions twice a year. The neighbouring Zellweger Park is home to other important works of contemporary art.

Uster, Switzerland 

Bechtler Stiftung

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