Special-Interest Museums in Switzerland
From chocolate to toys: museums with unusual themes.
Vaud (13)
Musée Olympique
Château d'Aigle
Alimentarium
Queen: The Studio Experience
Maison d’Ailleurs
Musée Bolo
Musée Sherlock Holmes
Musée de la chaussure
Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV
Musée suisse de l’orgue
Musée suisse du cheval
Archizoom
Maison du Dessin de Presse
Zurich (12)
FIFA Museum
Fotostiftung Schweiz
Lindt Home of Chocolate
swissjazzorama
Uhrenmuseum zum Rösli
Johann Jacobs Museum
Moulagenmuseum
Uhrenmuseum Beyer
Musée Visionnaire
Uhrenmuseum Winterthur
Weinbaumuseum am Zürichsee
ZAZ BELLERIVE Zentrum Architektur Zürich
Basel-Stadt (9)
Bern (7)
Fribourg (6)
Geneva (6)
St. Gallen (5)
Appenzell Ausserrhoden (4)
Lucerne (4)
Solothurn (4)
Ticino (4)
Aargau (3)
Basel-Landschaft (3)
Neuchâtel (3)
Valais (3)
Graubünden (2)
Jura (1)
Schwyz (1)
Special-Interest Museums in Switzerland: Overview & Tips
Our guide lists 90 special-interest museums in Switzerland, spread across 18 cantons and 60 towns and cities. Most of them are in Vaud (13), Zurich (12), and Basel-Stadt (9).
At the city level, Basel (7), Zurich (7), and Geneva (5) lead the way – ideal if you want to see several special-interest museums in a single day.
14 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.
34 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 48 offer dedicated programs for families, and 30 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 special-interest museums in Switzerland
The best-known special-interest museums in Switzerland
Musée OlympiqueSpecial · Lausanne
Fondation Martin BodmerHistory · Cologny
Château d'AigleCastles & Palaces · Aigle
musée international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-RougeHistory · Geneva
FIFA MuseumSpecial · Zurich
ALPS Alpines Museum der SchweizHistory · Bern
S AM Schweizerisches ArchitekturmuseumArt · Basel
Spielzeug Welten Museum BaselSpecial · Basel
SwissminiaturSpecial · Melide
Pharmaziemuseum Universität BaselSpecial · Basel
Special-interest museums in Switzerland with free admission
Museo delle dogane svizzeroHistory · Lugano
Queen: The Studio ExperiencePeople · Montreux
Feuerwehrmuseum BaselSpecial · Basel
Musée BoloTechnology · Lausanne- swissjazzoramaSpecial · Uster
FroschmuseumSpecial · Münchenstein
MoulagenmuseumSpecial · Zurich
Musée de la chaussureSpecial · Lausanne
Sammlung Friedhof am HörnliSpecial · Riehen
Spielzeugsammlung WaldfeeSpecial · Wald AR
Special-interest museums in Switzerland with programs for families
- Musée OlympiqueSpecial · Lausanne
- Fondation Martin BodmerHistory · Cologny
- Château d'AigleCastles & Palaces · Aigle
- musée international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-RougeHistory · Geneva
- FIFA MuseumSpecial · Zurich
- ALPS Alpines Museum der SchweizHistory · Bern
- S AM Schweizerisches ArchitekturmuseumArt · Basel
- Spielzeug Welten Museum BaselSpecial · Basel
- SwissminiaturSpecial · Melide
Musée international d’horlogerieTechnology · La Chaux-de-Fonds
Wheelchair-accessible special-interest museums in Switzerland
- Musée OlympiqueSpecial · Lausanne
- Fondation Martin BodmerHistory · Cologny
- musée international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-RougeHistory · Geneva
- FIFA MuseumSpecial · Zurich
- S AM Schweizerisches ArchitekturmuseumArt · Basel
- Spielzeug Welten Museum BaselSpecial · Basel
- Musée international d’horlogerieTechnology · La Chaux-de-Fonds
StapferhausSpecial · Lenzburg
AlimentariumSpecial · Vevey
Lichtspiel/Kinemathek BernSpecial · Bern
Special-interest museums in Switzerland with the highest published visitor numbers
By canton
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many special-interest museums are there in Switzerland?
Our directory currently lists 90 special-interest museums in Switzerland across 60 towns and cities.
What are the best-known special-interest museums in Switzerland?
Some of the best known are Musée Olympique, Fondation Martin Bodmer, Château d'Aigle, musée international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge, and FIFA Museum.
Which special-interest museums in Switzerland offer free admission?
14 museums are free to visit – for example Museo delle dogane svizzero, Queen: The Studio Experience, Feuerwehrmuseum Basel, and Musée Bolo.
Which special-interest museums in Switzerland are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 12 are open, such as Swissminiatur, Queen: The Studio Experience, and Anatomisches Museum Basel.
Which special-interest museums in Switzerland are wheelchair accessible?
34 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including Musée Olympique, Fondation Martin Bodmer, and musée international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit special-interest museums in Switzerland?
A regular adult ticket costs CHF 12 at the median, with prices ranging from CHF 5 to CHF 50. Children, students and families usually pay less.
Other categories: Art & Design · History & Cultural History · Natural History · Science & Technology · Archaeology & Antiquity · Memorials · Castles, Palaces & Monasteries · Open-Air Museums · City & Regional Museums · World Cultures & Ethnology · People & Literature