Totally worth a visit for fans and the curious…read more I grew as a fan of the Alien franchise, so it was definitely a treat to see some of the other work from HR Giger. The museum is small, but there's enough for you to spend an hour or two checking things out. The artwork is somewhat trippy and incredibly iconic and unique, with a combination of cyberpunk, body horror, religious, and sexual imagery. It's a pretty weird and random fit for the idyllic and quaint Gruyeres, but the contrast makes it part of the fun. Definitely check it out if you are in Gruyeres. Admission was included as part of my Swiss travel pass.

I'm a fan of Giger's work in the Alien, Species, Dune and other projects so when I was in…read moreSwitzerland I made a point to come here. The fact that it's located in a historic medieval village and cheese making region is quirky, but adds a dimension to balance out those activities. The museum is located in an old medieval castle/gate type building. There are several floors featuring Giger's creations along with an area for rotating exhibits by other artists in the same genre. Obviously the biggest draw for most people is the art related to the Alien movies. There are concept drawings, models, and actual pieces used in the movies, enough to keep you satisfied! Giger also branched into making other items in a similar theme, check out the dining table and chairs amongst other things. There's a room with erotic art, you need to be over 18 to see that, however there isn't anyone actively enforcing this. You have the opportunity to buy original pieces of art actually created by Giger, along with prints and t shirts, and bottles of the artist's own brand of absinthe. Sadly it's all expensive (even the t shirts were around 40 francs) so be aware. This museum is worth a visit for fans of Giger's work. Definitely consider if your kids can handle visuals like this if they're with you. It's dark by definition.

This is an awesome museum if you're really interested in the Olympics or if you're a child. I…read morereally enjoyed it, but I wouldn't recommend it to the average adult. The exhibits were well put together, and there was a lot of interesting information to read with fun games for children. I loved the temporary exhibit (free to the public) about running and the focus on Paris 2024. Admission was more expensive than I would have liked, even with the student discount for 14 CHF. The Olympic park outside is nice to walk around.

It's been a long time since I came through here. I created a listing to review the Olympic Games…read morebut it got merged with the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. I've actually been to this museum, funnily enough (in 2005, I believe it was, but I could be off), so I decided to post the review anyway. The Olympic Museum in Switzerland is worth a visit if you are obsessed with the Olympics but we're really not. We like the World Cup a lot. So I won't be taking Barbie back here with me most likely. It's still a pretty cool Museum and it's been a long time since I was here but it looks from the pictures like it's changed, so I'll have to consider maybe giving it another visit when I come back to Switzerland maybe next year maybe no go.

MUDAC is Lausanne Museum of Design and Contemporary Applied Arts. Permanent collection is…read moreinsignificant. New exhibitions are regularly organised in order to permit visitors to progressively see museum entire own collection. At the time I visited MUDAC there was an interesting temporary exhibition showing the work of a 40 years old French designer Guillaume Bardet. He drew an utilitarian object of daily life like cups, vases, chairs, lamps, etc. every day over a year period from 21 September 2009 to 21 September 2010. A dozen ceramicist produced his objects in white and different colours. Artist mental state mind changed over this year period from joy to deep sadness and despair! At the end of 2010 he became heavily sick for 6 weeks and almost died! Could this performance means and be artist's life's oeuvre? Museum's entrance is every first Saturday of month free. Building is next to Lausanne Cathedral on top of old city where you get a stunning view over lake and mountains.

I loved the Mu.dac. I found it by mistake while trying to find the history museum, and being…read moresomeone who loves design, decided to go in! The staff were super friendly (and were willing to practice my French with me, even though it took a lot longer). I spent a couple hours, really looking at things (it's a small museum). When I was there the first exhibit was on perspective, and the second was on touch- which was a shared exhibit with another museum! The touch one was really cool because you so rarely get to touch anything in a museum. Lots of different textures. I think one of my favorite exhibits was about a man who records himself everyday, then listens to the tape for that day a year later (and records over it). The third floor was a glass exhibit, and it's always nice to look at glass. I'd definitely go here if you're visiting Lausanne!

The castle sits dramatically above the charming medieval village of Gruyères, and just walking up…read moreto it feels magical. The cobblestone streets, the preserved old buildings, and then the castle rising at the top -- all like something out of a postcard. We didn't go inside, but wandering around the exterior and the surrounding grounds was more than enough to make the stop memorable. The views of the rolling green hills and mountains are stunning, especially on a clear day. There are plenty of spots to take photos, and the scenery alone makes it worth the climb. The area around the castle is peaceful and beautifully maintained, perfect for a relaxed stroll. Even if you're short on time or just passing through for cheese and chocolate, stopping to admire the château from the outside is a must.

Just a short walk up hill from the train station you will find a little city with shops,…read morerestaurants. Then just a bit up the hill you will find this beautiful castle with amazing views.. 13CHF to get in but it's worth it. Keep in mind to wear comfortable shoes if you're not used to walking up hill in cobble stone.

This musuem is awesome! You got the history of Bern and Einstein Museum. Learn the history of…read moreSwitzerland and the culture and all about Bern and Einstein. I did not know Einstein had lived in Switzerland before. Lots history about Einstein and Bern. You can spend the whole day here. Perfect day to go when is raining.

Man könnte ein paar Tage in diesem Museum verbringen. Wir waren im Einstein Museum und sahen uns…read moredie Geschichte von Bern an. Wirklich ein schönes, sehenswertes Museum.

As far as local history museums go, this is one of the best anywhere. It helps that the subject…read morematter is so iconic. The museum focuses on the scaling of the Matterhorn, and how the town culture developed around Alpine climbing. You'll find all sorts of artifacts like the original ropes and ice axes used to climb the matterhorn. The museum has three levels. The first is the main entrance, ticket booth, and gift shop. There are lockers to leave bags and hangars for jackets. The second level is below the street and is a metal grate walkway with historical items. The deepest and final level has the largest selection of artifacts and information. An audio guide is available in many languages but you'll need to download an app. Staff is minimal but does speak English.

Located in the center of Zermatt, Switzerland under it's namesake the glass dome Matterhorn…read moremuseum. Entry fee CHF 10, but was part of our 10 day Collette tour of Alpine Trains and Scenic Lakes. Severe space restrictions, with most of the museum underground. Three stories, with only the top story above ground. The bottom two floors have a constructed replica of a 19th century Swiss village, with stuffed farm animals, and furnishings from the period. You walk down the main street of Zermatt, only from 200 years ago. Film depicts life back in the older days, and the equipment used to climb the Matterhorn. Model of the mountain, where you may press a button next to the first successful hike to the top by that particular pathway, and see the lighted guided path alongside the mountain. The earliest hikes from the 1860s were on the more gradual inclines, whereas the latest hikes were on the very steep cliff faces. Today about 3000 people successfully climb the mountain annually, as it is described as a moderate climb, but exposed to the elements. About 150 people try to climb the mountain daily, which takes 9-12 hours. The last third is through snow and ice, requiring crampons. Only a handful of those 150 will make it to the top and back. About a handful die each year, with some 500 people killed in attempting the climb throughout the ages. There is even a cemetery for those killed on the mountain. A much more formidable mountain to climb is France's Mt Blanc, tallest mountain in Europe, with some 8,000 climbers killed! There are guides who for about 1300 Euros will take you to the top of Matterhorn, to have your selfie picture taken!

A truly outstanding small museum featuring works collected by the Swiss art dealer for Pablo…read morePicasso and Paul Klee -- favorites of mine since my many visits to the Museum of Modern Art as a teenager. Many pieces I had never even heard of, and yet a small enough collection that I wasn't exhausted after seeing the whole place. The Picasso's came primarily from his later years; and a set of endearing photos of Picasso and his family taken by David Douglas Duncan. And then the floor with other moderns running from the impressionists into painters in the mid-2oth century

This museum was such a surprise gem. The collection is jaw dropping. The sheer quantity of Picasso…read moreand Klee pieces is amazing not to mention the photos of Picasso with his family and the other artists represented. It's a must see while in Lucerne.

Kunsthaus Zürich is free on Wednesdays, for those who are looking at visiting, and it just happened…read moreto be the day we were in town. A few tips and tricks for those visiting: They ask you leave your backpacks and purses downstairs in the provided lockers. The elevator system isn't great, and will always stop at the lobby, no matter what you push, so it's a time consuming process to use it. The restrooms look like they should be pull doors, but they're actually push. It's the oddest thing and the honey and I were both tripped up by it. Overall, we both really enjoyed the museum, much more than the famous Prado, and would highly recommend stopping in if you're visiting Zurich, especially if it happens to be a Wednesday.

This museum is pretty pricey, and it is not included in the museums one can see with the…read moreMuseumpass/Swiss Travel Pass. It is free on Wednesdays, but that does not include entry to special exhibitions. What makes things worse is that roughly half the collection is currently closed due to a fire. So you're just left with Impressionism and newer stuff. The Impressionist collection is decent at least.

Constant banging, ringing bells, and clattering sounds, the Museum Tinguely features the works of…read moreSwiss artist Jean Tinguely. Famous for kinetic sculptures, some of them are quite small and many are massive complex installations with many moving parts. With anything that moves, they are constantly breaking down. The museum does everything possible to ensure the longest life of these artworks. They do not run constantly, instead there are pedals or buttons to push that will activate the sculptures. It was a quiet and rainy Tuesday afternoon so the museum was not at all busy. This gave me nearly exclusive access to the artworks and the small theatre. I particularly enjoyed the movie showing the falling and crashing fluorescent lights. You can expect to spend at least two hours here. Don't miss the upside-down biplane hanging from the ceiling or the fountain in the courtyard! [Review 21233 overall - 81 in Switzerland - 198 of 2024.]

This is without a doubt the strangest museum I have ever been to. In Basel we visited Tinguely…read moreFountain. It's a fountain filled with the craziest contraptions that are almost like perpetual motion machines. They're moving iron sculptures that continuously loop through a short range of motion so it looks like they're walking, bobbing, etc. It was intriguing enough to make me want to visit the museum devoted to the works of this artist. If you have a Basel City Pass (which our hotel provided for free) you can use it to get half off of the admission price. I was not prepared for how large the museum was. I was expecting a little place but this museum is enormous! It houses everything from Tinguely's low-tech earlier works (like a moving hammer that keeps smashing a stuffed animal) to huge contraptions. You can even walk inside the machine with a carousel horse attached to it. It was really interesting reading about this artist and how he came to such prominence. With such strange art exhibits it's not a surprise that the layout of this museum is also strange. That's not necessarily a good thing. For some reason the section at the beginning with the majority of printed signs that tell about Tinguely's history isn't air conditioned. There is a roof to provide shade but it still felt like a sauna and was quite uncomfortable. After that you go through some glass doors and the rest of the experience is air conditioned. Why? Also once you wind your way to the innermost part of the museum we were quite surprised to find that you hit a dead end. You have to backtrack all the way back to get out. Really strange design but I guess not surprising. This was a fun visit that definitely gave us something to talk about!