Musée d’ethnographie de Neuchâtel
Ethnographic museum in the Villa de Pury in Neuchâtel with around 50,000 objects, focusing on Africa, and changing exhibitions.
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About the museum
The museum's collections go back to the 18th century and begin with the cabinet of Charles Daniel de Meuron. The museum opened on 14 July 1904 in the villa that James-Ferdinand de Pury had donated to the city. The building stands in the Château-Collégiale district above the old town.
In 1954/55 an exhibition building for temporary exhibitions was built, whose north façade is adorned with a mural by Hans Erni entitled «Les conquêtes de l’homme». In 1986 another building was added, which houses the University's Institute of Ethnology.
The collection comprises around 50,000 objects, about half of them from Africa, including holdings from eastern and southern Africa, from 1930s Angola, and from the Sahara and Sahel. In addition there are pieces from Asia, the Arctic and Oceania, non-European musical instruments and ancient Egyptian antiquities. Since November 2017 the museum has shown its reference exhibition «L’impermanence des choses», whose sections change over time. The museum is internationally known for its bold and widely noted exhibitions.
Highlights
- Reference exhibition «L’impermanence des choses» with changing sections
- Around 50,000 objects, focusing on Africa
- Villa de Pury of 1904 with a mural by Hans Erni
- Terrace of the Café du MEN with views of the lake and the Alps
- Children's workshops and family brunch
Permanent exhibition
- L’impermanence des choses – Reference exhibition presenting the collections from the perspective of change; individual sections change over time and are partly developed with students.
- Founded
- 1904
- Operated by
- Stadt Neuenburg
- Director
- Yann Laville
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 12 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | CHF 4Students, apprentices, people with disabilities or pension recipients, and military personnel |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 15 · Children under 16 have free admission |
| Visitors with disabilities | CHF 4 |
| Students & apprentices | CHF 4Students and apprentices |
| Groups (10+ people) | –For 10 or more people 50% of the adult rate (depending on the non-resident or resident rate); school classes from the canton of Neuchâtel free, classes from outside the canton aged 16 and over CHF 4; accompanying persons free |
| Residents of Neuchâtel | CHF 8Instead of CHF 12 for non-residents |
| Tour with MEN staff (max. 25 people) | CHF 150Admission not included |
| Tour by the Atelier des musées (max. 25 people) | CHF 100Admission not included; school classes CHF 75 (City of Neuchâtel) or CHF 85 (others) |
| Brunch with public tour – adults | CHF 35Only on selected Sundays |
| Brunch with public tour – children aged 5–12 | CHF 15Children under 5 free |
Free admission: Free admission every Wednesday
Free admission with, among others, Euro 26, ICOM, AMS, museum associations, the Neuchâtel museum card, Raiffeisen, AG Culturel and the Neuchâtel Tourist Card; also for residents of the partner cities Besançon, Aarau and Sansepolcro.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
A ramp and lifts make the exhibition accessible for people with disabilities. Assistance dogs are allowed, other dogs are not.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 15 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Kids’ birthday parties
Workshops by the Atelier des musées for children aged 2 to 11 (early cultural education for ages 2–4, 4–6 and 7–11), private activities such as children's birthday parties, and a family brunch with a tour for adults and a children's workshop on selected Sundays. Children under 16 have free admission.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Saint-Nicolas/MEN
From the station take bus 106, 107, 109 or 421 to «Place Pury», and there change to bus 101 towards Corcelles-Cormondrèche to «Saint-Nicolas/MEN».
By car
Parking available
Blue Zone parking near the entrance on the Rue Saint-Nicolas.
On foot via three routes from the city centre (via Rue du Château and Rue Jeanne de Hochberg; recognisable by the large mural by Hans Erni). By car from Lausanne, Bern or Biel through the city tunnel, exit Neuchâtel-Vauseyon, then along the cantonal police headquarters (Poudrières) to the Rue Saint-Nicolas.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
- Coat check
Café du MEN (tel. +41 32 717 85 80), Tue–Sun and on public holidays 10 am–5 pm, with sandwiches, salads, soups and pastries as well as a dish of the day (mostly vegetarian) on Tuesdays and Thursdays; terrace with views of the lake and the Alps. Boutique with publications and products related to the exhibitions.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography is allowed without flash. |
| Good to know | Group tours in French, German, English and Spanish; registration on +41 32 717 85 60. Once a month at 12.15 pm there is a public lunchtime tour of about one hour (admission only). School programmes and workshops are organised by the Atelier des musées (+41 32 717 79 18). |
