Musée de l'Hôtel-Dieu

About the museum

The museum of Porrentruy goes back to Gustave Amweg, a teacher who spent his life collecting testimonies of Jura history. In 1949 the city acquired his collection of prints and his library; this gave rise to the museum, after a museum association had already been formed in 1945. In the 1960s it moved from the Villa Merguin into the Hôtel-Dieu, the civic hospital that had been abandoned in 1956.

The 18th-century building is itself part of the exhibition. The hospital pharmacy was elaborately fitted out in 1846 by the carpenter Jean-Baptiste Carraz; it has shelves with around 240 vessels and drawers made of various woods and was used by the hospital sisters until 1956. Further permanent exhibition rooms show the church treasury of the parish church of St-Pierre with late Gothic goldsmith work, a cabinet with prints and photographic holdings, and a department on the watch industry.

The storerooms hold paintings by Porrentruy artists, old and new prints, photo archives, Jewish ritual objects of the Porrentruy community and posters. The museum is run by a foundation and, besides the permanent exhibition, shows several temporary exhibitions a year. Its collections are now also accessible online.

Highlights

• Historic hospital pharmacy of 1846 with around 240 vessels
• Church treasury of St-Pierre with Gothic goldsmith work
• Watchmaking room with collections on the Porrentruy watch industry
• Prints and photographic holdings on Jura history
• Building of the former civic hospital with audio guides

Permanent exhibitions

• Trésor de l'Église St-Pierre – The most important Gothic goldsmith treasure of the Jura, with liturgical objects from the Gothic, Baroque and Historicist periods.
• Apotheke des Hôtel-Dieu – The hospital pharmacy, fitted out in 1846, with shelves, vessels and drawers, shows the structure of the former hospital.
• Uhrmacherei und Druckgrafik – A room on the Porrentruy watch industry and a cabinet with prints, photographic holdings and a regional library.

Founded

1949

Operated by

Fondation du Musée de l'Hôtel-Dieu

Director

Anne Schild

Admission & discounts

Free admission with the Swiss Museum Pass, ICOM, Raiffeisen card and AG culturel. With the Club BCJ, two admissions for the price of one. Euro prices are also given on the website (6 and 4 euros respectively).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• 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

A parking space is reserved for people with reduced mobility; step-free access is possible from the back of the building (access via the Rue de l'Eglise).

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

A parking space for people with reduced mobility is reserved.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The shop offers publications of the museum; orders by email.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit