Naturmuseum Winterthur

About the museum

The roots of the natural history museum reach back to the mid-17th century: the then Bürgerbibliothek Winterthur (citizens' library) collected natural specimens and curiosities, including a crocodile several meters long that came into the collection as a gift in 1664 and can still be seen today. In 1862 the natural science collection became independent and subsequently moved several times.

Since 1916 the museum has been housed in the building at Museumstrasse 52, which it shares with the Kunst Museum Winterthur. In the 1970s, under director Kurt Madlinger, the house opened up more to changing thematic exhibitions; in 1996 the Kindermuseum Kerala (children's museum) was established.

Between 2001 and 2005 the permanent exhibition was completely redesigned. The result was honored in 2006 with the Swiss museum prize Prix Expo and in 2007 nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award.

Today the Naturmuseum is a municipal institution of the city of Winterthur. It looks after the city's natural science and ethnological collections, researches them, and presents them in exhibitions, guided tours and workshops for schools, families and adults.

Highlights

• Regional habitats with animals and plants from town, forest and wetland
• Earth history with Winterthur fossils and marine animals from the Molasse period
• Ida-Ziegler-Schiff with ethnological objects, including an Egyptian mummy
• Kindermuseum Kerala with stories, masks and discovery boxes
• Nature finds office for identifying your own finds

Permanent exhibition

• Dauerausstellung – The exhibition takes visitors through the nature on their doorstep: native habitats, landscape change, fossils and earth history, minerals, and the Alps. The Ida-Ziegler-Schiff displays ethnological collection objects.

Operated by

Stadt Winterthur, Departement Kulturelles und Dienste

Director

Daniela Zingg

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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

Step-free access through the back courtyard, lifts to all exhibition areas, wheelchair-accessible exhibition rooms and a WC with a changing table.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities
• Kids’ birthday parties

Kerala Kreativ takes place on Sundays in two time slots (from age 6, not during the summer holidays); the holiday workshop runs Tuesday to Saturday during school holidays without registration. Children's birthday parties on Wednesdays or Saturdays for up to 10 children (about 90 minutes, CHF 150). No strollers are allowed in the children's museum.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Coat check

Eating and drinking are only allowed in the café and the covered inner courtyard. Large bags must be left in the cloakroom.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit