Museums & Exhibitions
There are lots of great museums to visit in Geneva and Switzerland. Entry is normally free but some may charge a fee for entry to special exhibitions. There may be visits to museums which are part of the academic program.
For a guide to museums in the region click on this link or read from below:
https://www.geneve.com/en/see-do/museums/
For a list of temporary exhibitions in Geneva go to ville-geneve.ch/agenda and select Culture and Exposition.
Museums in Geneva
Art and History Museum – Musée d’art et d’histoire – Maison Tavel – Musée Rath – Bibliothèque d’art et d’archéologie – Cabinet d’arts graphiques
Comprised of four different sites it is the largest museum in Geneva, The Art and History Museum is veritable catalogue of western culture with over one million pieces in its collection organized in three different wings. The Archeology wing contains relics from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Fine Arts wing houses paintings from the Renaissance onward including works by Van Gogh and Renoir. Finally, the Applied Arts wing features furniture, weapons and other articles of daily life from the Middle Ages. The Rath Museum was the first museum dedicated solely to the fine arts in Geneva in 1826. The Tavel house contains artefacts of daily life in Geneva from the Middle Ages through the late 1800’s.
http://www.ville-ge.ch/mah/?langue=eng
Saint Paul’s Cathedral archaeological site
Excavations from the 3rd-century BC leading up to the construction of the current cathedral in the 12th century. The site is among the winners of the “European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage – Europa Nostra”.
http://www.site-archeologique.ch/
International Museum of the Reformation
International Museum of the Reformation (IMR) presents the history of the Reform, from its inception to today, as well as the work and influence of Jean Calvin both in Geneva and abroad.
https://www.musee-reforme.ch/english-version/
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMCO)
MAMCO, located in an old factory building, is a dynamic museum on the cutting edge of modern art in Europe.
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
Emotion, discovery, reflection: the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum offers a unique opportunity to enter into the history of humanitarian action. Three separate areas, each developed by a well-known exhibition architect, allow visitors to explore three major challenges in today’s world: Defending human dignity, restoring family links, reducing natural risks.
http://www.redcrossmuseum.ch/en/
The United Nations
Guided tours available through reservation.
http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600581D0E/(httpPages)/5ADC7FB14E2750BD80256EF7005848A2?OpenDocument
History of Science Museum
A fascinating collection of scientific instruments and equipment from the region dating from the 17th to the 19th century.
http://www.ville-ge.ch/mhs/index.php
ICT Discovery
Geneva’s newest museum! Step inside ITU HQ to explore the fascinating story of the evolution and exciting future of information & communication technologies (ICT).
http://www.itu.int/en/ictdiscovery/Pages/default.aspx
CERN – The European Organization for Nuclear Research
The Microcosm permanent exhibition is open to the public and free. Free tours can be booked as well.
http://outreach.web.cern.ch/outreach/
Patek Philippe Museum
The Patek Philippe Museum traces the evolution of watch making in Geneva from its humble origins through to its current apogee as the world leader in the industry. The museum presents an evocative collection of timepieces dating back as far as the early 16th century.
Ariana Museum
The Swiss Museum of Ceramics and Glass is a unique museum located on the grounds adjoining the United Nations. The museum contains 20,000 different pieces – all manner of kiln crafts including stoneware, porcelain, pottery, and glass from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The lovely neo-baroque and neo-classical building compliments every visitor experience.
http://www.ville-ge.ch/ariana/
Baur Foundation
The Museum of Far Eastern Art, comprises some 9000 Chinese and Japanese art objects, housed in an elegant late 19th-century town house. Acquired by the Swiss collector Alfred Baur (1865-1951) over a period of some 45 years, these exquisite works of art include Chinese imperial ceramic ware, jades and snuff bottles from the 10th to the 19th centuries, as well as Japanese prints, lacquer, netsuke, and sword fittings.
http://fondation-baur.ch/en/home
Barbier-Mueller Museum
The Barbier-Mueller Museum is home to 7,000 masks, tools, statues, ornaments and other singular articles from Antiquity – Africa, Asia and Oceania
http://www.barbier-mueller.ch/
Natural History Museum
The Natural History museum presents an educational look at the world of nature with special emphasis on the ecological history of Switzerland.
Geneva Museum of Ethnography
Through exhibitions, research and mediation, the museum explores the diversity of cultures and the wealth of the differences between them. A new cultural hub forging links at local, regional and international level and taking an interactive approach to all categories of visitors, the MEG comes to grips with today’s complex, plural world.
http://www.ville-ge.ch/meg/index_uk.php
Botanical Gardens and Conservatory
One of the most comprehensive botanic collections in the world. The conservatory contains over 16,000 different plant species and is a working natural refuge dedicated to preservation and the advancement of horticulture.
http://www.ville-ge.ch/cjb/index_en.php
Swiss National Museum – La Chateau de Prangins (Nyon)
The château dating from 1730 with its English-style park and kitchen garden, has been meticulously restored in the old style. The museum, its permanent and special exhibitions depicting life in Switzerland in the 18th and 19th centuries covering topics from the fields of art, culture and society.
http://www.musee-suisse.ch/e/prangins/index.php
Other
Olympic Museum – Lausanne
The Olympic Museum is a tribute to the history of the Olympic Games and the spirit which they embody. The museum presents the history of the Games beginning with the ancient Greeks and traces the Games’ evolution through a stunning collection of memorabilia, audio-visual clips and other mementos that takes visitors up through today.
Switzerland’s Museum of Transportation – Luzern
The Swiss Museum of Transportation, which was opened in 1959, is Switzerland’s most popular museum. The history of mobility and communication is documented in exhibitions and theme parks, with simulations, interactive stations and films.
https://www.verkehrshaus.ch/en
Papiliorama – Exotic Butterflies and More – Kerzers (Bern)
The tropical gardens Papiliorama and Nocturama in Kerzers are home to plants and animals from the tropics. In the Anthropodarium, arthropods are exhibited. The Swiss Butterfly Garden is dedicated to native butterfly species.
http://www.papiliorama.ch/default.asp?OrgID=5
Zurich Zoo
The Zoo, situated on Zurich Mountain, houses 340 animal species in habitats designed to be natural. Ranging from the Himalayan Mountains to South American grasslands to the Masoala rain forest, eco-systems have been created here, in which the animals, including endangered species, can roam free and widely. A petting zoo also enables close contact between people and native livestock as well as domesticated animals.
http://www.zoo.ch/xml_1/internet/de/intro.cfm
See also :