swissjazzorama
The swissjazzorama in Uster is the Swiss jazz archive with a museum section, instruments, recordings, posters and a jazz shop, with free admission.
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About the museum
The roots of the swissjazzorama go back to 1989: the supporting association Pro Jazz Schweiz was founded in Rheinfelden, aiming to build an archive of visual and audio material on the Swiss jazz scene based on the collection of the collector Otto Flückiger. The archive was initially housed in Arlesheim, moved to the Jazzschule Basel in 1996 and, in May 2000, took up premises in the Musikcontainer in Uster under the new name swissjazzorama.
There the holdings grew considerably, spread over several locations and looked after by volunteers. In 2016 the archive moved to Ackerstrasse 45 in Uster, where archive and administration found a central home; in 2024 it moved again, this time to the Zeughaus K1 at Berchtoldstrasse 10. Today the association has over 280 members, and the "Jazz Helvetica" association of Hochschule Luzern – Musik and swissjazzorama safeguards the Swiss holdings.
The collection comprises books and magazines, photographs, films, posters and pictures, shellac and vinyl records (around 27,000 catalogued LPs, plus a large Duke Ellington collection of about 1,300 albums), CDs and musical instruments, such as a clarinet belonging to Albert Nicholas, the trumpet "Susy" of Hazy Osterwald or a Steinway pianola from around 1920. The house presents its own exhibitions on jazz topics, offers tours on request and sells duplicates from the archive in the jazz shop.
Highlights
- Swiss jazz archive with recordings, photos, films, posters and books
- Instruments of well-known jazz musicians, such as Hazy Osterwald's trumpet "Susy"
- Around 27,000 catalogued LPs and a large Duke Ellington collection
- Jazz shop with vinyl, CDs and books from archive duplicates, and a listening station
- Free admission, tours on request
- Operated by
- Verein swissjazzorama
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Adults | free |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | free |
Free admission; donations and memberships support operations.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
Since 2024 in the Zeughaus K1 at Berchtoldstrasse 10 in Uster; the website gives no directions.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Jazz shop with several thousand vinyl LPs, CDs and books (duplicates from the archive) and a listening station.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Tours for individuals and groups on request from the secretariat, ideally well in advance. The archive is open to study, research and film projects; analogue holdings on site, many materials available digitally. |
