Musée Bolo
The computer museum on the EPFL campus shows the history of computing and video games, including Swiss machines such as the Smaky.
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About the museum
EPFL engineer Yves Bolognini at first collected old computers out of passion; the actual collection began around 1996, prompted also by the microcomputing pioneer Jean-Daniel Nicoud. After a first exhibition of 25 machines near Geneva, the holdings grew rapidly from 1999. In 2002 Bolognini founded the Musée Bolo as the first permanent exhibition of its kind in Switzerland. The name "Bolo" is the nickname of the male members of his family.
In 2007, with the support of Swiss computing pioneers, the Mémoires Informatiques foundation was created, which now owns the collection. The association Les Amis du Musée Bolo maintains and restores the machines and shapes the running of the museum; everyone involved works on a voluntary basis. The museum is a private, independent institution and is recognised by the Swiss Museums Association AMS and by the association of museums of Lausanne and Pully.
EPFL provides exhibition space and a workshop free of charge in building INF of the School of Computer and Communication Sciences. The collection comprises more than 5,000 computers and game consoles, 8,000 programs and 15,000 books and magazines; only about 3 percent of it is on display, the rest is stored in depots in the Lausanne region.
Highlights
- Around 80 selected machines, including the Cray 2 supercomputer
- Swiss developments such as the Smaky, Lilith and early Logitech mice
- Free admission Monday to Friday
- Guided visits with volunteer guides
- Collection with more than 5,000 computers and consoles
Permanent exhibition
- Exposition permanente – Around 80 machines and objects show the history of computing, including the Cray-2, Commodore PET, ZX-81, PDP-11 and Swiss developments such as the Lilith and the Smaky family.
- Founded
- 2002
- Operated by
- Fondation Mémoires Informatiques
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | CHF 180 per personPrivate tour for school classes (up to 25 pupils and 2 accompanying persons); other groups and companies (up to 25 people) on request. |
|---|---|
| Families | CHF 40Saturday tour: 2 adults and up to 4 children |
| Saturday tour adults (from 16 years) | CHF 20About 1 hour plus demonstration, registration required |
| Saturday tour children (10 to 15 years) | CHF 10Children under 10 free |
| Saturday tour pensioners, disability insurance recipients, apprentices, students | CHF 15With proof; EPFL students and members of the Amis du Musée Bolo free |
Visiting the exhibition is free of charge; only the guided visits are chargeable.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
| Family ticket | CHF 40 · Saturday tour: 2 adults and up to 4 children |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
Tours are recommended from age 10; there is a family ticket for the Saturday tour (2 adults, up to 4 children).
Getting there & parking
By public transit
EPFL (M1)
Metro M1 to "EPFL", then follow the signs; from Lausanne station bus 1 to "J.-D. Colladon"; from Morges station bus 701 to "Parc Scientifique".
By car
Parking available
Rolex Learning Center car park; green spaces are reserved for EPFL staff Monday to Friday 8 am–6 pm and are free afterwards.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided visits with volunteer guides in French or English: private tour for groups (registration at least 20 days in advance, times 10 am, 2 pm, 4 pm or 7 pm depending on availability) and Saturday tour at 2 pm on fixed dates (registration at least 3 days in advance, recommended from age 10). |
