Museum im Zeughaus
The volunteer-run Museum im Zeughaus in the Cantonal Arsenal of Schaffhausen shows the history of the Swiss Army with vehicles, tanks and guns.
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About the museum
The Museum im Zeughaus was founded in 2004 by Karl Bauert, Martin Huber and Jürg Zimmermann and opened on 10 and 11 September 2005. Their private collections formed the foundation of a museum of technological history on the equipment and armament of the Swiss Army. It was set up in the historic "Haus 5" of the Cantonal Arsenal in Schaffhausen; the museum rents the space there.
The exhibition space grew over time. The first exhibitions, from 2006 for instance on the cadets in Schaffhausen, were followed by more than twenty others. The collection of wheeled and tracked vehicles was previously housed in Neuhausen and in the former steel foundry in the Mühlental; until the end of August 2024 the museum showed it as the "Museum am Rheinfall" in Neuhausen. Since 2025 there has been a second site in Diessenhofen in the canton of Thurgau.
The Stiftung Museum im Zeughaus is the sponsor and owner of the collections, and operations are ensured by the association with over 700 members. The museum is a private institution and is run exclusively by volunteers. It shows eight exhibitions and two visible storage displays; topics include the army's mobilisations, artillery, the Bourbaki Army, the bombing of Schaffhausen in 1944, the Rhine, as well as over fifty vehicles and twenty-one tanks.
Highlights
- Over 50 operational motor vehicles and 21 tanks
- Exhibition "Mobilmachung" on 130 mobilisations since 1792
- Artillery past and present, visible storage of guns
- "Bomben auf Schaffhausen" on the air raid of 1 April 1944
- Museum pub with beer garden
- Second site in Diessenhofen
Permanent exhibitions
- Mobilmachung – Overview of the 130 mobilisations of the Swiss Army since 1792, their causes, courses and consequences for daily life and the economy.
- Artillerie gestern und heute – Technical and tactical development of Swiss artillery with numerous exhibits and scenes.
- Motorisierung und Mechanisierung der Schweizer Armee – Over fifty operational vehicles and 21 tanks document the development and the Swiss vehicle industry.
- Founded
- 2004
- Operated by
- Stiftung Museum im Zeughaus / Verein Museum im Zeughaus
- Director
- Martin Huber
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 12 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | CHF 6free up to age 10 · Young people from 11 to 18 years pay CHF 6; children are free. |
| Groups | CHF 12 per personAdmission and guided tour for groups: CHF 12 per person, minimum CHF 150. |
Free admission for members of the Verein Museum im Zeughaus and for holders of the Museum Pass and the Raiffeisen card.
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
Schützenhaus · 5-min walk
From Schaffhausen railway station by bus line 3 (towards Sommerwies), line 4 (towards Birch) or line 7 (towards Neuhausen SBB) to "Schützenhaus"; buses run every 10 minutes during the day.
By car
Parking available
Parking directly in front of the Zeughaus.
By car on the A4 to exit 5 "Schaffhausen Süd", then towards the city centre and follow the "Breite" signs.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
Museum pub with beer garden on all museum days (cake buffet, simple dishes, museum wine); museum shop on museum days and during guided tours by appointment, with documentation, books and military chocolate.
Events & venue rental
For guided tours by appointment, an apéro or (from 10 people) a simple meal can be arranged in the museum pub.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The exhibitions can be visited freely. Guided tours for groups by registration last 30 to 90 minutes depending on the topic (e.g. mobilisation 60–90 minutes, artillery 45–60 minutes, Bomben auf Schaffhausen 30–45 minutes). A printed documentation for each exhibition is available in the shop. |
