Jüdisches Museum der Schweiz

About the museum

The Jewish Museum of Switzerland opened in 1966 as the first Jewish museum in the German-speaking world after the war and remains the only one of its kind in Switzerland. It was founded by the Verein für das Jüdische Museum der Schweiz under founding director Katia Guth-Dreyfus; its premises were initially on Kornhausgasse in Basel. The museum is supported by the association, which has around 450 members, and celebrates its sixtieth anniversary in 2026.

The collection grew with objects from Basel and the Upper Rhine region, the Jewish villages of Endingen and Lengnau in the Surbtal, the rest of Switzerland, Europe, North Africa and Israel. Its focal points are ceremonial objects in silver, richly embroidered textiles from the 17th to 20th centuries and documents on the cultural history of the Jews in Switzerland. The medieval gravestones and the Basel Hebrew prints are regarded as historically unique; records of the Zionist Congresses and letters from Theodor Herzl show Basel as a place of world politics.

Since 1 December 2025 the museum has been a guest in the new building at Vesalgasse 5, a former timber tobacco warehouse. The firm Diener & Diener transformed it over roughly 750 square metres into a museum with exhibition, workshop and event spaces, a library and offices; a generous wooden staircase connects the floors. The façade bears the work “Jeziory” by Frank Stella. The permanent exhibition “Kult, Kultur, Kunst” tells Jewish history in Switzerland from Roman antiquity to the present.

Highlights

• Only Jewish museum in Switzerland, opened in 1966
• Permanent exhibition “Kult, Kultur, Kunst. Jüdische Erfahrungen” on two floors
• Medieval Jewish gravestones and Basel Hebrew prints
• Documents on the Zionist Congresses in Basel and letters from Theodor Herzl
• Converted timber house by Diener & Diener with a façade work by Frank Stella
• Children’s trail with treasure map for ages 4 to 12

Permanent exhibition

• Kult, Kultur, Kunst. Jüdische Erfahrungen – Across two floors, the permanent exhibition shows Jewish history in Switzerland from Roman antiquity to the present, from community life through origins and self-assertion to dealing with antisemitism.

Founded

1966

Operated by

Verein für das Jüdische Museum der Schweiz

Director

Dr. Naomi Lubrich

Admission & discounts

The museum does not sell tickets online; visits (for example by groups) can be announced to the visitor service. Free admission also applies to members (membership card), museum staff Basel, holders of the Swiss Museum Pass, the Museums-PASS-Musées, the Raiffeisen card, ICOM, VMS/AMS, Colourkey, the VIZAM museum card, press, TiM – Tandem im Museum – as well as persons with protection status S. The public tour of the museum is included in admission; the synagogue tour is free of charge.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: not available
• 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 wheelchair accessible; the exhibition rooms can be reached by lift (89 × 144 cm), the toilet is on the ground floor. A disabled parking space directly in front of the building is not available.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Children’s trail for ages 4 to 12: at reception you can get a treasure map and a key ring free of charge, with which nine interactive stations can be discovered (kaleidoscope, Jewish music, short film, hands-on station with Hebrew letters, archaeological finds).

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop on site; the online shop is currently being revised.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit