Natural History Museums in Switzerland
Natural history and marine museums with collections on animals, plants, minerals and the history of the Earth.
Zurich (7)
Valais (6)
Vaud (6)
Graubünden (5)
Aargau (3)
Bern (3)
Ticino (3)
Fribourg (2)
Geneva (2)
Lucerne (2)
Neuchâtel (2)
St. Gallen (2)
Thurgau (2)
Appenzell Ausserrhoden (1)
Basel-Landschaft (1)
Basel-Stadt (1)
Glarus (1)
Jura (1)
Schaffhausen (1)
Schwyz (1)
Solothurn (1)
Natural History Museums in Switzerland: Overview & Tips
Our guide lists 53 natural history museums in Switzerland, spread across 21 cantons and 46 towns and cities. Most of them are in Zurich (7), Vaud (6), and Valais (6).
At the city level, Zurich (3), Bern (2), and Lausanne (2) lead the way – ideal if you want to see several natural history museums in a single day.
12 museums are free to visit. For the others with a published price, a regular adult ticket costs CHF 10 at the median, and the middle half charge between CHF 8 and CHF 12.
23 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 45 offer dedicated programs for families, and 21 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 natural history museums in Switzerland
The best-known natural history museums in Switzerland
Muséum d'histoire naturelle de GenèveNature · Geneva
musée du LémanRegional · Nyon
Naturhistorisches Museum BaselNature · Basel
ALPS Alpines Museum der SchweizHistory · Bern
Swiss Science Center TechnoramaTechnology · Winterthur
Naturhistorisches Museum BernNature · Bern
Mammutmuseum NiederweningenNature · Niederweningen
Sauriermuseum AathalNature · Aathal-Seegräben
Centre Pro Natura de Champ-PittetNature · Cheseaux-Noréaz
Enea BaummuseumOpen-air · Rapperswil-Jona
Natural history museums in Switzerland with free admission
Jardin botanique cantonal de LausanneNature · Lausanne
Musée d’histoire naturelle FribourgNature · Freiburg/Fribourg
Museo cantonale di storia naturaleNature · Lugano
Jurassica – Jardin botanique de PorrentruyNature · Pruntrut- Naturhistorisches Museum der Universität ZürichNature · Zurich
Naturmuseum ThurgauNature · Frauenfeld
focusTerraNature · Zurich
Museum ZofingenHistory · Zofingen- NaturéumNature · Lausanne
Naturmuseum SolothurnNature · Solothurn
Natural history museums in Switzerland with programs for families
- musée du LémanRegional · Nyon
- Naturhistorisches Museum BaselNature · Basel
- ALPS Alpines Museum der SchweizHistory · Bern
- Swiss Science Center TechnoramaTechnology · Winterthur
- Naturhistorisches Museum BernNature · Bern
- Mammutmuseum NiederweningenNature · Niederweningen
- Sauriermuseum AathalNature · Aathal-Seegräben
- Centre Pro Natura de Champ-PittetNature · Cheseaux-Noréaz
- Jardin botanique cantonal de LausanneNature · Lausanne
- Musée d’histoire naturelle FribourgNature · Freiburg/Fribourg
Wheelchair-accessible natural history museums in Switzerland
- musée du LémanRegional · Nyon
- Swiss Science Center TechnoramaTechnology · Winterthur
- Naturhistorisches Museum BernNature · Bern
- Mammutmuseum NiederweningenNature · Niederweningen
- Sauriermuseum AathalNature · Aathal-Seegräben
BarrylandSpecial · Martigny
Bündner NaturmuseumNature · Chur
Museo dei fossili del Monte San GiorgioNature · Meride
Muséum d’histoire naturelle de NeuchâtelNature · Neuchâtel- Naturhistorisches Museum der Universität ZürichNature · Zurich
By canton
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many natural history museums are there in Switzerland?
Our directory currently lists 53 natural history museums in Switzerland across 46 towns and cities.
What are the best-known natural history museums in Switzerland?
Some of the best known are Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève, musée du Léman, Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, ALPS Alpines Museum der Schweiz, and Swiss Science Center Technorama.
Which natural history museums in Switzerland offer free admission?
12 museums are free to visit – for example Jardin botanique cantonal de Lausanne, Musée d’histoire naturelle Fribourg, Museo cantonale di storia naturale, and Jurassica – Jardin botanique de Porrentruy.
Which natural history museums in Switzerland are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 15 are open, such as Swiss Science Center Technorama, Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, and Enea Baummuseum.
Which natural history museums in Switzerland are wheelchair accessible?
23 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including musée du Léman, Swiss Science Center Technorama, and Naturhistorisches Museum Bern. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit natural history museums in Switzerland?
A regular adult ticket costs CHF 10 at the median, with prices ranging from CHF 5 to CHF 34. Children, students and families usually pay less.
Other categories: Art & Design · History & Cultural History · Science & Technology · Archaeology & Antiquity · Memorials · Castles, Palaces & Monasteries · Open-Air Museums · City & Regional Museums · World Cultures & Ethnology · People & Literature · Special-Interest Museums