Musée des beaux-arts du Locle
Art museum in Le Locle with around 5,000 works from the 17th to the 21st century, including Anker, Giacometti and Picasso; changing presentations.
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About the museum
The collection of the Musée des beaux-arts du Locle has grown over more than a hundred years through donations, purchases and notable loans. Until the 1950s it consisted mainly of Swiss and regional art of the 19th and 20th centuries; loans from the Confederation and the Gottfried Keller Foundation supplemented the holdings. Early names include Albert Anker, the Barraud brothers and Léopold Robert.
In the second half of the 20th century, the curators Marcel Bergeon, Renée Faessler and Charles Chautems expanded the collection with prints and contemporary works. Later additions included works by Picasso, Giacometti, Le Corbusier and Matisse, among others.
Today the collection comprises around 5,000 pieces, including almost 400 paintings, 100 sculptures and over 1,000 prints. A renovation from 2011 to 2014 made it necessary to move the entire collection and to inventory it completely; since reopening in 2014, the museum no longer has a fixed permanent display but integrates selections of works into each new exhibition.
Highlights
- Around 5,000 works from the 17th to the 21st century
- Works by Albert Anker, Léopold Robert, Picasso, Giacometti and Matisse
- Selections from the collection in dialogue with each new exhibition
- Sunday offer with admission, pastry and a drink
- Creative workshops for children and adults
- Founded
- 1862
- Director
- Nathalie Herschdorfer
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | CHF 5Seniors, students, apprentices and unemployed people |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 15 · Children and young people under 16 free |
| Seniors | CHF 5 |
| Students & apprentices | CHF 5Students and apprentices; art students free |
| Groups (10+ people) | CHF 6 per personPer person for groups of 10 or more |
| Sunday offer (admission, pastry and a drink) | CHF 14 |
| Guided tour (max. 25 people, by reservation only) | CHF 120Plus admission; book two weeks in advance |
| Guided tour for school classes | CHF 60Admission free |
Free admission: Free admission on the first Sunday of every month
Free admission for, among others, members, art students and with the Raiffeisen card, Swiss Museum Pass, Neuchâtel Museum Card, Neuchâtel Tourist Card, as well as for members of partner institutions and cultural associations.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- 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
All floors can be reached by lift; mobile ramps are available for wheelchairs and pushchairs, and the museum should be contacted the day before. A disabled parking space is located opposite the museum.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 15 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly
Creative workshops for children (some from age 5) and adults, as well as school workshops for grades 1 to 6 (1.5 hours, free for Swiss schools). Children under 16 have free admission.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Marie-Anne Calame
5 minutes on foot from Le Locle railway station, or 10 minutes by the funicular “Le Remontoir”. Buses 341 and 342 (station/centre) as well as 360 and 361 to “Marie-Anne Calame”.
By car
Parking available
Parking nearby; a disabled parking space opposite the museum.
- Accessible parking
The museum is in the centre of Le Locle near the main square.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Boutique on site.
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 | Public tours according to the agenda, free of charge on the first Sunday of the month. Group tours (maximum 25 people) by appointment; school classes and companies welcome. |
