Napoleonmuseum Arenenberg
Castle above Lake Untersee, once the exile residence of Queen Hortense and Napoleon III, with original furnished living rooms and a landscape park.
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About the museum
The Arenenberg above Lake Untersee was already settled in antiquity and the Middle Ages, then known as the "Narrenberg" ("Fools' Hill"); from the 15th century it is documented as a wine estate and country seat of wealthy Konstanz families. In 1817 Hortense de Beauharnais, Napoleon's stepdaughter and former queen of Holland, acquired the estate and made it her place of exile. She remodeled the castle, furnished the salons, and had a landscape park laid out all around it.
Her son Louis Napoléon grew up here, had to sell the family home in 1843, and bought it back in 1855 as Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, in order to restore it to its original condition. His wife, Empress Eugénie, had the castle expanded with more salons and in 1906 gave the estate to the canton of Thurgau. As she wished, the Napoleonmuseum was established there, alongside an agricultural school that still exists today.
The museum displays the carefully restored, originally furnished living rooms of Queen Hortense and the imperial family: tent salons, private retreats, ladies' maids' rooms, and paintings. The park, with an ice house, hermitage, grottoes, and water features, belongs to the castle estate; a bistro and hotel are located right next door.
Highlights
- Originally furnished living rooms of Queen Hortense and the family of Napoleon III
- Splendid tent salons, ladies' maids' rooms, and paintings
- Landscape park with hermitage, grottoes, and water features
- Audio guide in German, French, and English, also downloadable to a smartphone in advance
- Costumed tours and tours for children
Permanent exhibition
- Wohnräume von Königin Hortense und der kaiserlichen Familie – The tour through the castle shows carefully restored, originally furnished salons, private rooms, and ladies' maids' rooms, and conveys how the Bonaparte family lived in Swiss exile.
- Operated by
- Kanton Thurgau
- Director
- Dominik Gügel
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 15 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | CHF 5free up to age 5 · Children and young people aged 6 to 16; children under 6 admitted free |
| Groups | CHF 10 per personMuseum admission per person for groups with a private tour |
| Families | CHF 322 adults and 2 children |
| Annual pass | CHF 35 |
| Private tour of the museum (approx. 50 min., up to 20 people) | CHF 140Flat rate per group, plus CHF 10 admission per person |
| Private museum and park tour (approx. 90 min., up to 15 people) | CHF 250Flat rate per group, plus CHF 10 admission per person |
| Private park tour (approx. 50 min., up to 20 people) | CHF 180Flat rate per group |
| Private children's tour (approx. 90 min., ages 6–12, up to 12 children) | CHF 220Flat rate, museum admission included |
| Tour for school classes (approx. 50 min., up to 25 people) | CHF 100Plus CHF 5 admission per pupil and accompanying teacher |
Free admission with the Swiss Museum Pass and Raiffeisen card (Member Plus). Payment in euros at the box-office exchange rate is also possible.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- 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
The museum is only partly wheelchair accessible (ground floor; three steps at the entrance); the park tours are not suitable for wheelchairs. Dogs are allowed in the park on a leash, but not in the museum.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | CHF 32 · 2 adults and 2 children |
- Family tours & workshops
- Kids’ birthday parties
Public children's tours "Märchenhaft schön oder schön umständlich?" ("Fairy-tale beautiful or beautifully complicated?") for ages 6 to 12 on the first and third Sunday of each month, April to October, with costumes from historical dress. Private children's tours for groups can also be booked as a birthday party; for school classes there are several tours from age 6.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Arenenberg Schloss (Postauto)
To Bahnhof Mannenbach-Salenstein, then about 20 minutes on foot; or to Bahnhof Ermatingen and then by Postauto bus to "Arenenberg Schloss"; or by boat to the Mannenbach landing and about 20 minutes on foot.
By car: 15 minutes from Kreuzlingen/Konstanz, 50 minutes from Zürich via the A7, and 120 minutes from Stuttgart via the A81 and B33. Arenenberg lies above Mannenbach and Ermatingen; from the Lake Constance cycle path it is only a short climb. A taxi service is recommended.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
- Lockers
Bistro Louis Napoléon and Hotel Arenenberg right by the castle; museum shop with gift items and estate products such as wine and honey. Bags and backpacks must be stored in lockers.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 50 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, FR, EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography and filming are not permitted in the museum for conservation reasons. |
| Good to know | Audio guide available in the building as available, also downloadable to a smartphone in advance free of charge (valid for 72 hours). Public tours according to the agenda; private tours for groups in several languages, including costumed tours ("Die Magd Pauline" ("The Maid Pauline") and "Diener Charles Thélin" ("Servant Charles Thélin")); registration at +41 58 345 74 10. |
