Ausstellung Urgeschichte

About the museum

The Ausstellung Urgeschichte goes back to the private collection of Christian Foppa, a primary school teacher from Chur. In 1985, when several classrooms became free in the Schulhaus Lachen, an exhibition for school classes was set up there with the support of the Chur city school administration; the Archaeological Service of Graubünden advised on the setup. The Didaktische Ausstellung Urgeschichte (Didactic Prehistory Exhibition) opened on October 26, 1986, and in early 1987 the support association of the same name was founded.

From the start, the museum focused on guided tours and museum education, which was still uncommon in Switzerland at the time. Besides its work with school classes, it produced numerous teaching materials on the prehistory and early history of Graubünden, such as a teaching folder from 1994 and loan suitcases on the Romans. The school exhibition thus grew into an official museum of the City of Chur, which today works under a service mandate from the city and receives support from the canton.

After a move and a redesign of the collection, the museum reopened at its new location at Grabenstrasse 40 at the end of 2024. The collection comprises several hundred objects: fossils, originals as well as true-to-original replicas and casts from the Ice Age to Roman times. Ethnographic pieces, for example from Papua New Guinea or Tibet, allow comparisons with other cultures. The focus is on hands-on experience: many work techniques from earlier times can be tried out in practice.

Highlights

• Hands-on museum where you can touch and try things out
• Earth history, Old and New Stone Age, Bronze and Iron Age, and the Roman period
• Fossils, originals, replicas and casts
• Ethnographic comparison objects, for example from Papua New Guinea and Tibet
• Loan suitcases on the Romans for school classes

Permanent exhibition

• Ausstellung Urgeschichte – Fossils, original finds, replicas and casts trace the story from earth history through the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages to the Romans; ethnographic objects add a view of other cultures.

Founded

1986

Operated by

Verein Didaktische Ausstellung Urgeschichte

Director

Christian Foppa

Admission & discounts

Members of the support association enter free of charge. The Canton of Graubünden supports school visits to cultural institutions with grants.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Many objects may be touched.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

The museum is designed for children from kindergarten age; many techniques can be tried out by the children themselves. There is a playground and a picnic area at the museum.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

There is a picnic area at the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit