Museum zur Farb
Local history museum in the Haus zur Farb, a half-timbered house from around 1460, with a new permanent exhibition on the Stäfa Affair of 1795; free admission.
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About the museum
The Museum zur Farb is the local history museum of Stäfa on Lake Zurich and is run by the Lesegesellschaft Stäfa. The Lesegesellschaft bought the Haus zur Farb in 1944, and the museum opened there in 1945. The house is among the oldest surviving buildings in the village: its oldest part dates from around 1460 and is a plank-and-post construction, with further sections added in the 18th and 19th centuries. Around 25 generations have lived and worked here. It owes its name to a cloth-dyeing workshop in the cellar.
Among the special features of the house are Baroque paintings in the bedroom, the old kitchen, stencilled walls in the children's room and a large tree-trunk wine press. The collection includes paintings, furniture, textiles, documents, photographs and tools relating to everyday life and village history, agriculture, crafts, industry and art connected with Stäfa. Special collections are devoted to the Stäfa Affair as well as to nativity figures and swaddled-baby figures from the estate of the folklorist Walter Tobler.
In 2026 the permanent exhibition «Rebellisches Stäfa» was completely redesigned. It tells the story of the Stäfa Affair: at the end of the 18th century the rural population around Lake Zurich rose up against the dominance of the city of Zurich, which led to the military occupation of Stäfa in 1795. The museum is run by a curator and supported by about 18 volunteers, who among other things operate the museum café.
Highlights
- Permanent exhibition «Rebellisches Stäfa» on the Stäfa Affair of 1795
- House from around 1460 with Baroque paintings and stencilled walls
- Tree-trunk wine press inside the house
- Nativity figures and swaddled-baby figures from the Walter Tobler collection
- Museum café and free admission
Permanent exhibitions
- Rebellisches Stäfa – Der Stäfner Handel – Permanent exhibition, redesigned in 2026, on the uprising of the Zurich rural population against the city at the end of the 18th century, with its key figures and the worlds of country and city life.
- Haus zur Farb – Tour of the house from around 1460 with Baroque paintings, the old kitchen, a children's room with stencilled walls and a tree-trunk wine press.
- Founded
- 1945
- Operated by
- Lesegesellschaft Stäfa
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | –Private guided tours cost CHF 150 to 250 depending on length and requirements, with an aperitif on request. Workshops and guided tours for school classes from Stäfa are free of charge (excluding material costs). |
|---|
Free admission. Private guided tours CHF 150–250.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
Workshops for school classes of all levels on the Stäfa Affair and the history of the house; listed as child- and family-friendly by the Association of Swiss Museums.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Dorf
Take bus 955 from Stäfa railway station to the Dorf stop.
Amenities & dining
- Café
Museum café, run by volunteers during opening hours.
Events & venue rental
Guided tours can be combined with an aperitif organised by the museum.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
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| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours and village walks on local and house history, as well as workshops for all school levels, on request from the curator. The collection storage can be visited by appointment. |
