Visitor's Tips
Before we delve into the selection, we want to give you two useful tips for visiting different museums in Switzerland.
Many museums offer free admission: sometimes they provide free entry on certain days, open specific halls or exhibitions for free access, have loyalty programs for those with annual passes, and often offer free admission for children under six years old and discounts for family or group visits. So, our advice is to check the museums' websites to see what offers they have.
Pay attention to the opportunities provided by the Swiss Travel Pass. It's an excellent solution for those who love to travel a lot, and as a bonus, it gives you access to more than 500 museums for free visits. Plan your trips considering this fantastic opportunity, and let "visiting a museum" always be a point in your traveler's itinerary.
10 Museums Worth Visiting
Stroll through open-air museums, "visit" Chaplin and Einstein, see Picasso and Cézanne, and learn how chocolate is made - this is only a part of our proposal. So read, choose, and visit!
Verkehrshaus (Swiss Museum of Transport)
Let's start our selection with the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne.
Switzerland is known for its highly efficient transportation system, which is rightfully considered one of the best in the world. Therefore, it's no surprise that the country has the best transportation museum. It houses over 60 historic locomotives, 40 automobiles, 50 motorcycles, and dozens of other means of transport.
Other exhibitions in the museum are dedicated to cable cars, steamboats, and even space shuttles. In addition to transportation, the museum offers the Media World, where visitors can enjoy 3D-format films and visit cafes and restaurants. However, the most beloved attraction is the Swiss Chocolate Adventure. It's an interactive story of how cocoa beans transform into one of Switzerland's finest (and tastiest) products - Swiss chocolate.
Great offers with an annual pass, including free daily visits and discounts on all museum attractions, of which there are many.
Landesmuseum (Swiss National Museum)
At the Swiss National Museum in Zurich, you can trace the formation and development of the Swiss nation from prehistoric times to the present day. The exhibits include artifacts from prehistoric, Roman, and Carolingian empires, samples from the Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance periods, Swiss weapons and ornaments, and traditional costumes from each country's cantons. The museum also houses a collection of Swiss clocks.
Free entry to the exhibition "Simply Zurich" for refugees (individuals with N, S, B, F permits) and for participants with the Raiffeisen ZürichCARD.
Migros Museum of Contemporary Art
If the previous museum focused on artifacts of the past, this one specializes in contemporary art. It is also located in Zurich. You will find a changing exhibition of diverse exhibits showcasing contemporary eclectic art that can astonish you and change your perception of art itself.
Every Thursday from 17:00 to 20:00, the museum offers free entry to the current exhibition.
If the previous museums tell about different eras, epochs, people, etc., this museum is dedicated to just one person. But what a person it is! The Einstein Museum houses diverse collections on various topics dedicated to the famous genius, his life, his creativity, and his genius (apologies for the tautology). The museum contains over 550 original objects, replicas, and 70 films. The most impressive exhibits in the museum are about the Holocaust and the first military use of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, as Einstein's discoveries had a significant impact on the development of the bomb.
The Einstein Museum is located in the Bern Historical Museum, which itself is very interesting with numerous captivating exhibitions. Free admission is possible with the Museums-PASS-Musées, and there are great discounts for families and school groups.
Kunsthaus Zürich (Zurich Art House)
The largest art museum in Switzerland, where a collection of world-famous art is gathered, including works by Chagall, Giacometti, Monet, Munch, Picasso, Van Gogh, Warhol, and other prominent artists, starting from the 13th century. At Kunsthaus Zürich, visitors of all ages can enjoy and deeply study art. The museum offers many educational activities for children of different ages, such as full-day workshops during school holidays and educational entertainment for children from 3 years old. Many guided tours are available for children's groups, from kindergartens to graduates.
Children up to 17 years old and disabled individuals can visit the museum for free, and some university students can also access the museum free of charge on Wednesdays.
Museum Aargau, Moriken-Wildegg
Continuing the theme of open-air museums, we cannot overlook the unique Aargau Museum, which represents a collection of local sites. It includes four castles (Lenzburg, Hallwyl, Wildegg, and Habsburg), the Königsfelden Monastery, the Roman Legion Path, the museum in the Roman camp of Vindonissa, and more. Each of these structures is a historical monument dating back many centuries. For example, Lenzburg Castle is one of Switzerland's largest fortresses, now a museum of knighthood and nobility. Vineyards and lush gardens surround the castles.
The area for exploration is quite extensive, so you'll spend a long time walking around. Overall, combining museum visits with active leisure is an ideal option.
Free entry with the Swiss Museum Pass, Raiffeisen Card, Museums-PASS-Musées, VMS, ICOM, Gesellschaft Pro Vindonissa. 
Zoological Museum of the University of Zurich
This museum presents a permanent exhibition with over 1500 animals of various species and forms worldwide. Here, you can familiarize yourself with numerous representatives of fauna, from hyenas to whales. The museum is suitable for all ages, although most information is in German. On the other hand, the museum is entirely free, and on Sundays, they offer free workshops.
Schloss Thun - Das Museumsschloss (Thun Castle - Museum Castle), Thun
This castle, built in the late 12th century by the Dukes of Zähringen, was initially much smaller and served as a purely administrative object. However, in the 15th century, its new owners, the Bernese, expanded it, giving the castle its impressive roof. The five floors of the castle now house a historical museum that highlights the region's history, featuring temporary exhibitions on various cultural, historical, and contemporary topics. However, the most impressive place is the Knight's Hall - one of the few surviving halls of this type from the Middle Ages.
Free admission with the Swiss Museum Pass, Raiffeisen Member Card, Swiss Travel Pass, and for children up to 6 years old.
Museum Rosengart Collection - Klee, Picasso, Cézanne, Lucerne
In our selection, we could not overlook the Rosengart Museum, which houses a world-renowned collection of works by 23 artists, including Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso. Interestingly, this collection was once private and belonged to Siegfried Rosengart and his daughter Angela. However 1992, Angela Rosengart founded the Rosengart Foundation to make the collection accessible to the public.
Swiss Museum Pass, Raiffeisen Member Card, grant free access to the museum.
Chaplin’s World by Grévin
To end our selection, we recommend visiting "Manoir de Ban," which was once the residence of the famous Chaplin family. Here, in the estate with a huge park, you can see and experience the daily life of the Chaplins, learn about their private life, and explore the artistic works of the iconic director and actor, Charlie Chaplin.
The Smile Pass offers great benefits. It provides access to Chaplin's World for 365 days, 2 free tickets for friends or family, a 50% discount on park visits (Parc Astérix, Futuroscope, Musée Grévin Paris, Parc Walibi Rhône-Alpes, Walibi Holland, Aqualibi, Walibi Belgium, France Miniature, Bellewaerde, and Family Park), and free parking.
In conclusion, Switzerland has many exciting and unusual museums. So even if the museums from our selection don't fit your preferences, the country has at least one or several museums that will amaze you. We hope you got interested in museums, as they undoubtedly play a crucial role in preserving the heritage of nations and shed light on how the world used to be.
