Art & Design Museums in Switzerland
Painting galleries, sculpture collections, design and contemporary art – from the Old Masters to the present day.
Zurich (23)
Kunsthaus Zürich
Museum Rietberg
Museum für Gestaltung
Pavillon Le Corbusier
Sammlung Oskar Reinhart «Am Römerholz»
Kunsthalle Zürich
Museum Haus Konstruktiv
Fotomuseum Winterthur
Kunst Museum Winterthur | Reinhart am Stadtgarten
Kunst Museum Winterthur | Villa Flora
Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst
Fotostiftung Schweiz
Kunstmuseum Winterthur | Beim Stadthaus
Atelier Hermann Haller
Gewerbemuseum Winterthur
Graphische Sammlung ETH Zürich
Helmhaus Zürich
Strauhof
Bechtler Stiftung
Kunsthalle Winterthur
Musée Visionnaire
Shedhalle
ZAZ BELLERIVE Zentrum Architektur Zürich
Ticino (22)
Museo delle Culture (MUSEC)
Museo d’arte della Svizzera italiana
Pinacoteca cantonale Giovanni Züst
Museo Vincenzo Vela
m.a.x. museo
Museo Casa Rusca
Museo civico Villa dei Cedri
Museo storico etnografico Valle di Blenio
Casa Pessina
La Congiunta
Museo Castello San Materno
Museo Comunale d’Arte Moderna
Museo d'arte Mendrisio
Museo Ruggero Leoncavallo
Spazio Albisetti
Spazio Officina
Casa Museo Luigi Rossi
Casorella
Complesso museale del Monte Verità
Ghisla Art Collection
Museo del Bigorio
Museo Elisarion
Basel-Stadt (13)
Kunstmuseum Basel
Fondation Beyeler
Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig
Kunsthalle Basel
Museum Tinguely
Historisches Museum Basel
S AM Schweizerisches Architekturmuseum
Cartoonmuseum Basel
Skulpturhalle Basel
Fondation Herzog
Museum Kleines Klingental
Kulturstiftung Basel H. Geiger | KBH.G
Rappaz – Haus der Basler Grafik
Bern (12)
Vaud (12)
Collection de l'Art Brut
mudac – Musée cantonal de design et d’arts appliqués contemporains
Photo Elysée
Musée Jenisch Vevey
Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne
Maison d’Ailleurs
Fondation de l’Hermitage
Musée Alexis Forel
Archizoom
Espace Arlaud
Maison du Dessin de Presse
Musée d’art de Pully
Graubünden (11)
Fribourg (10)
Musée gruérien
Musée d’art et d’histoire Fribourg
Espace Jean Tinguely – Niki de Saint Phalle
Museum H.R. Giger
Schweizer Figurentheatermuseum
Tibet Museum – Fondation Alain Bordier
Vitromusée Romont
Kunsthalle Friart Fribourg
Château de Gruyères
Musée de Charmey
Geneva (10)
Aargau (9)
Aargauer Kunsthaus
Museum Langmatt Stiftung Sidney und Jenny Brown
Bruno Weber Park
Emma Kunz Zentrum
Kunsthaus Zofingen
Museum Eduard Spörri
Museum Kloster Muri und Museum Caspar Wolf
Rehmann-Museum
Stadtmuseum Brugg – Stäblisaal und Historische Sammlung
Lucerne (7)
St. Gallen (7)
Basel-Landschaft (6)
Solothurn (6)
Neuchâtel (5)
Valais (5)
Appenzell Ausserrhoden (3)
Schwyz (2)
Thurgau (2)
Appenzell Innerrhoden (1)
Glarus (1)
Jura (1)
Obwalden (1)
Schaffhausen (1)
Uri (1)
Zug (1)
Art & Design Museums in Switzerland: Overview & Tips
Our guide lists 172 art and design museums in Switzerland, spread across 25 cantons and 94 towns and cities. Most of them are in Zurich (23), Ticino (22), and Basel-Stadt (13).
At the city level, Zurich (14), Basel (12), and Geneva (9) lead the way – ideal if you want to see several art and design museums in a single day.
29 museums are free to visit. For the others with a published price, a regular adult ticket costs CHF 12 at the median, and the middle half charge between CHF 10 and CHF 15.
74 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 112 offer dedicated programs for families, and 59 have a café or restaurant. These figures come from our ongoing research – museums whose details we haven’t verified yet aren’t included in the counts.
Top 10 art and design museums in Switzerland
The best-known art and design museums in Switzerland
Kunsthaus ZürichArt · Zurich
Kunstmuseum BaselArt · Basel
Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de GenèveArt · Geneva
Kunstmuseum BernArt · Bern
Fondation BeyelerArt · Riehen
Museum RietbergWorld cultures · Zurich
musée ArianaArt · Geneva
Zentrum Paul KleeArt · Bern
Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung LudwigArchaeology · Basel
Kunsthalle BaselArt · Basel
Art and design museums in Switzerland with free admission
- musée ArianaArt · Geneva
Kunstmuseum SolothurnArt · Solothurn
Skulpturhalle BaselArt · Basel
Migros Museum für GegenwartskunstArt · Zurich
collection des moulages de l'Université de GenèveArchaeology · Geneva
Museum GaisRegional · Gais
Atelier Hermann HallerArt · Zurich
CAN Centre d’art NeuchâtelArt · Neuchâtel- Casa PessinaArt · Ligornetto
- Graphische Sammlung ETH ZürichArt · Zurich
Art and design museums in Switzerland with programs for families
- Kunsthaus ZürichArt · Zurich
- Kunstmuseum BaselArt · Basel
- Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de GenèveArt · Geneva
- Kunstmuseum BernArt · Bern
- Fondation BeyelerArt · Riehen
- Museum RietbergWorld cultures · Zurich
- musée ArianaArt · Geneva
- Zentrum Paul KleeArt · Bern
- Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung LudwigArchaeology · Basel
- Kunsthalle BaselArt · Basel
Wheelchair-accessible art and design museums in Switzerland
- Kunsthaus ZürichArt · Zurich
- Kunstmuseum BaselArt · Basel
- Kunstmuseum BernArt · Bern
- Fondation BeyelerArt · Riehen
- Museum RietbergWorld cultures · Zurich
- musée ArianaArt · Geneva
- Zentrum Paul KleeArt · Bern
- Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung LudwigArchaeology · Basel
- Kunsthalle BaselArt · Basel
Museum TinguelyArt · Basel
Art and design museums in Switzerland with the highest published visitor numbers
- Kunsthaus ZürichArt · Zurich
- Zentrum Paul KleeArt · Bern
- Kunstmuseum BernArt · Bern
Museo d’arte della Svizzera italianaArt · Lugano
Musée d’art et d’histoire FribourgArt · Freiburg/Fribourg
S AM Schweizerisches ArchitekturmuseumArt · Basel
m.a.x. museoArt · Chiasso
Museo Comunale d’Arte ModernaArt · Ascona
Tibet Museum – Fondation Alain BordierWorld cultures · Greyerz
By canton
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many art and design museums are there in Switzerland?
Our directory currently lists 172 art and design museums in Switzerland across 94 towns and cities.
What are the best-known art and design museums in Switzerland?
Some of the best known are Kunsthaus Zürich, Kunstmuseum Basel, Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de Genève, Kunstmuseum Bern, and Fondation Beyeler.
Which art and design museums in Switzerland offer free admission?
29 museums are free to visit – for example musée Ariana, Kunstmuseum Solothurn, Skulpturhalle Basel, and Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst.
Which art and design museums in Switzerland are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 24 are open, such as Fondation Pierre Gianadda, Abegg-Stiftung, and Museo delle Culture (MUSEC).
Which art and design museums in Switzerland are wheelchair accessible?
74 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including Kunsthaus Zürich, Kunstmuseum Basel, and Kunstmuseum Bern. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit art and design museums in Switzerland?
A regular adult ticket costs CHF 12 at the median, with prices ranging from CHF 5 to CHF 30. Children, students and families usually pay less.
Other categories: History & Cultural History · Natural History · Science & Technology · Archaeology & Antiquity · Memorials · Castles, Palaces & Monasteries · Open-Air Museums · City & Regional Museums · World Cultures & Ethnology · People & Literature · Special-Interest Museums