Photo: Hans Peter Schaefer, www.reserv-a-rt.de · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Schaulager

Art storage and research facility of the Laurenz Foundation with publicly accessible storage rooms; currently tours only, public reopening in 2027.

Opening hours Wheelchair accessible

Tickets Website Directions

SchaulagerOpening hours

Tickets Website

Limited operations (expected until 2027). Until reopening to the public in 2027, only school and university visits, research visits, and the monthly public storage room tour are available.

About the museum

Schaulager opened in 2003 and is maintained by the Laurenz Foundation. The idea originated from Maja Oeri for the art collection of the Emanuel Hoffmann Foundation: artworks should not disappear in crates but remain visibly stored and accessible for research, teaching, and education. The name came from 'schauen' (look) and 'lagern' (store).

The building by Herzog & de Meuron combines storage and exhibition spaces. The three upper floors house the storage rooms, while the ground and basement floors serve as exhibition and visitor areas around a 28-meter-high atrium. The pentagonal shape, the hand-finished concrete facade with pebbles from the excavation, and the walls over 50 centimeters thick ensure constant climate. Two works are permanently installed in the basement: Rat King by Katharina Fritsch and Untitled by Robert Gober.

Currently, an expansion building is being created according to plans by Herzog & de Meuron for space-filling installations and time-based media works; the parking lot is unavailable during construction. The building remains open for schools, universities, and researchers; there is one public tour per month through selected storage rooms. Schaulager will reopen to the general public in 2027.

Highlights

Visibly stored collection of the Emanuel Hoffmann Foundation
Architecture by Herzog & de Meuron with 28-meter-high atrium
Permanent installations by Katharina Fritsch and Robert Gober
Monthly public storage room tours
Reference library and research visits by appointment

Permanent exhibition

Permanente Installationen: Rattenkönig und Untitled – In the basement, Katharina Fritsch's Rat King (1993) and Robert Gober's room installation Untitled (1995–1997) are permanently installed and made publicly accessible during exhibitions.

Founded: 2003
Operated by: Laurenz-Stiftung

Admission & discounts

Public storage room tour (60 minutes)	CHF 15Cost contribution per person; registration required, groups of 7+ by phone
Dieter Roth Room (30 minutes)	freeFree, registration required, max. 4 people

Exhibitions open to the public are currently not part of the program.

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible
Elevator
Accessible restroom
Accessible parking
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

Exhibition and storage rooms are barrier-free; all floors are connected by elevator. The entrance door must be pulled briefly, then it opens automatically; staff are happy to help. Disabled parking by registration. The Dieter Roth Room (St. Alban-Rheinweg) is not wheelchair accessible.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By public transit

Schaulager

Tram 11 from Basel SBB towards Aesch Dorf to Dreispitz stop, then take tram replacement bus to Schaulager stop (approx. 15 minutes).

By car

No on-site parking at the museum.

Schaulager's parking lot is not available during expansion building construction; instead, the Ruchfeld parking garage can be used. Access via the A3, exit Muttenz-Süd/Dreispitz, then to Barcelona-Strasse (Dreispitz 4).

Accessible parking

Public transport is recommended for arrival.

Get directions

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 · approx. 60 min
School programs	yes
Photography	Photography for private purposes without flash is permitted in exhibitions; not allowed in storage rooms.
Good to know	The public tour takes place on the last Wednesday of each month at 6 PM (60 minutes). Additionally, there is a free tour of the Dieter Roth Room on Sunday at 2:30 PM once a month (Self Tower; Lion Tower) with meeting point in front of Kunstmuseum Basel \| Gegenwart, St. Alban-Rheinweg 60, 4052 Basel. School tours last 90 minutes and are also suitable for primary school classes.