Musée militaire genevois
Free museum on the Penthes estate in Pregny that tells Geneva's military history since 1814 through uniforms and objects.
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About the museum
The Musée militaire genevois was founded in 1984 on the initiative of the Association for the Promotion of the Geneva Military Museum and is housed in an outbuilding of the Penthes estate in Pregny-Chambésy. From 1910 the military collections had been exhibited in the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva, but were put into storage in the 1960s due to lack of space. The association wanted to show them to the public again.
Because of the modest floor space, the exhibition is limited to the period from the Restoration in 1814 to the present day, and thus tells the military history of the canton. Rather than simply lining up weapons and equipment, the museum's creators select a few objects for important moments in Geneva's history and complement them with paintings, engravings and photographs. Particularly carefully designed figures bring the soldiers of earlier times to life.
The main pieces include the uniform of an officer of the National Guard of the Département du Léman from 1810, when Geneva was French, the colourful uniforms of the Restoration militias, plainer federal regulation uniforms up to the mobilisations of 1914–18 and 1939–45, rockets of the 19th-century Swiss army, shooting societies, and Generals Dufour and Guisan. The association also offers tours of the bunkers of the Versoix defence line.
Highlights
- Uniforms from French Geneva in 1810 to the mobilisations of 1914–18 and 1939–45
- Figures and pictorial material on important moments in Geneva's military history
- Generals Dufour and Guisan
- The Versoix defence line with a tour of the bunkers
- Free admission
Permanent exhibition
- Genfer Militärgeschichte von 1814 bis heute – Uniforms, weapons, paintings and photographs tell the military history of the Canton of Geneva from the Restoration to the mobilisations of the 20th century.
- Founded
- 1984
- Operated by
- Association pour le musée militaire genevois
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Penthes · 4-min walk
Bus line 20 to “Penthes”, less than 4 minutes on foot from the stop.
By car
Parking available · 2-min walk to the entrance
Car park about 2 minutes on foot.
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 |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Visits inside the building and to the bunkers of the Versoix defence line by arrangement or depending on current events; enquiries via the contact form or by telephone. |
