Stadtmuseum Brugg – Stäblisaal und Historische Sammlung

About the museum

The museum is housed in the former municipal arsenal of 1673 on Hofstatt. The building stands out for its striking portal and its stair tower with a "welsche Haube" (onion-shaped cupola). The building has served as a museum since 1964; it was first called "Heimatmuseum und Stäbli-Stübli Brugg" and is now named "Stadtmuseum Brugg – Stäblisaal und Historische Sammlung".

The collection focuses on Brugg's cultural heritage: objects made or used in the town and region, historic pictures, portraits of well-known personalities and works by old Brugg masters such as Anner, Geiger or Stäbli. On the ground floor a timeline summarises the town's history; on the second floor a thematically arranged selection presents everyday objects from silver beakers to yarn winders. Tablets invite visitors to browse the art collection, old photographs, music by the Brugg composer Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich and texts by Brugg writers.

On the first floor is the Stäblisaal with the largest public collection of paintings by the landscape painter Adolf Stäbli (1842–1901). It goes back to a bequest by his sister Adèle in 1909 to the Ortsbürger (citizens' community); the hall was thoroughly renovated and restaged in winter 2014/15. Another permanent exhibition shows historic traditional costumes from the estate of Luise Howald-Schmid and places them in the context of Swiss agriculture, whose farmers' association is based in Brugg.

Highlights

• Largest public collection of paintings by Adolf Stäbli (Stäblisaal)
• History of Brugg on a timeline
• Historic traditional costumes from the Howald-Schmid estate
• Arsenal of 1673 with stair tower
• QR-code town walk through Brugg

Permanent exhibitions

• Historische Ausstellung – A timeline of the town's history on the ground floor and a thematically arranged selection of objects on the second floor, complemented by tablets with art, photographs, music and literature from Brugg.
• Stäblisaal – The largest public collection of paintings by the landscape painter Adolf Stäbli, on the first floor.
• Trachten in Brugg – Historic traditional costumes from the estate of Luise Howald-Schmid, placed in the context of rural cultural and agricultural history.

Founded

1964

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• 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

The museum is only partly accessible: the upper floors can only be reached via a narrow spiral staircase, and the route leads over cobblestones.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly: not available

As "museum detectives", children solve riddles in the building; those who solve them correctly receive a small gift. Because of the spiral staircase, the museum is poorly suited to prams and strollers.

Getting there & parking

The museum is reached on foot through the old town over cobblestones.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Weddings / ceremonies

Rooms in the museum can be booked through the town of Brugg (Planning and Construction, +41 56 461 76 33); weddings in the Stäblisaal are arranged through the registry office (+41 56 448 90 90).

Plan your visit