Museums and galleries in Geneva

Museums and galleries in Geneva

1. See

   CERN Science Gateway

   The CERN particle physics research centre has a purpose built museum presenting the history of CERN, our universe and quantum science at a level accessible to all. Almost all exhibits are interactive and are presented in five languages (French, English, German, Italian and Spanish). There are also workshops for children (free, 45 mins) and guided tours (90 mins) of the premises which can only be booked on site. The reception has a souvenir shop; this is your opportunity to get yourself a CERN helmet!

   9AM-5PM Tue-Sun·Free

2. See

   Cathédrale St-Pierre and Calvin's auditorium

   The new Espace Saint Pierre pass includes entrance to all three sites of Cour Saint-Pierre, a worthy space of unique spiritual and cultural importance. The Cathedral and its towers, originally Catholic, both embody the high point of the Reformed tradition and explore the origins of Christianity with an extensive archaeological site and they are now complemented by the International Museum of the Reformation on the ground floor of the Maison Mallet. An underground passage, reopened when the Museum was created, connects the two buildings. The archeological tour beneath the cathedral is excellent for archeology fans it explains the origins not only of the cathedral but the reason for Geneva's location back to pre-Roman times. Those willing to climb the steps of the Cathedral's towers will be rewarded with magnificent views of Geneva and the lake. Nearby, the Auditoire, where Calvin taught, completes a complex that is both representative of the past and open to current questions. The new Espace Saint-Pierre thus aims to contribute to our understanding of today’s world – between tradition and modernity, cultural experimentation and spiritual practice. These three buildings invite the visitor to explore the city’s history. Religious denominations aside, Espace Saint Pierre represents a spirit that continues to guide the city and citizens of Geneva today. For schedules and information about free live organ performances in the cathedral, go to the website Concerts cathédrale.

   Jun-Sep: Mon-Sat 09:00-21:00, Sun 11:00-19:00; Oct-May: Mon-Sat 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00, Sun 11:00-12:30 and 13:30-17:00·Adults Fr. 16 (Seniors, Disabled, Students aged 16-25, and groups of more than 15 qualify for a Fr. 10 pass, children aged 7-16 qualify for an Fr. 8 pass. Entry to the church itself is free, of course, but donations are welcome.)

3. See

   International Museum of the Reformation

   Installed on the ground floor of the magnificent Maison Mallet (next to Saint-Pierre Cathedral), this new Museum presents the main spiritual and cultural elements of the Reformation. Unique objects, manuscripts, rare books, engravings, and paintings illustrate the close ties between Geneva and the Reformation. State-of-the-art technology welcomes a modern audience: films, a music room, and demonstrations, including many for children, invite visitors to both rediscover the past and imagine the future.

   Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00. Closed on 24, 25 and 31 December and on 1 January. Open Easter, Pentecost, and Jeune Federal Mondays. Access for disabled visitors.·Fr. 10 for Adults; Seniors, Disabled, Students from 16-25 years old qualify for a Fr. 7 admission fee; Children age 7-16 years old and groups of 15 or more qualify for a Fr. 5 admission fee; Children under 7 are free. For another Fr. 3, you can explore the archaeological site beneath the cathedral and climb the tower inside the cathedral, which has some amazing views of the city

4. Drink

   La Clémence

   This cozy little bar on the central square of Geneva's old town more than quintuples in size from April until October when it is able to use a huge swath of the place as its terrace. During warm weather it's packed, but is such a lovely and central stopping point that it's worth the wait for a table - check out the gallery on their website. In the winter they have the best vin chaud in town.

   11:00-00:00, every day

5. Do

   La Perle du Lac

   Translates to the "Pearl of the Lake" and is the largest park on the western bank of Lake Geneva. It hosts the splendid eponymous restaurant and a free science museum, but it also a great place for a picnic.

6. See

   Museum of the International Committee of the Red Cross

   The Museum of the ICRC is in the basement of the headquarters and shows photos and objects related to the organisation's service to humanity during countless wars and natural disasters, and presents stories of victims. However much of the permanent exhibition is not an ordinary museum, but probably supposed to be more of an "experience", one might even call it a theme park — not really appropriate for such a serious topic. You will be given an audio guide that is activated when going through different rooms and touching screens - these are malfunctioning quite frequently. There are also educative tasks/games for the visitors to play as well as postmodern works of art. Overall, the museum is largely a rather confusing experience and given the offhand expectations you probably have, this museum will probably not be the high point of your visit to Geneva.

   Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00. Closed on 24, 25 and 31 December and on 1 January. Access for disabled visitors.·Adult Fr. 15; child, ICRC members, the elderly, and others Fr. 7

7. See

   Musée Ariana

   Occupying a big chunk of what would otherwise be the UN campus, the Ariana Museum offers a huge collection (16,000 pieces) of ceramics from around Europe and the Far East.

   Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00·Fr. 8

8. See

   Musée d'Art et d'Histoire

   Extensive art and archaeological-historical collections. Painting gallery extends back to the early Renaissance, but is most extensive in Swiss-French and Impressionist works.

   Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00·Free, except special exhibits

9. See

   Musée d'Histoire Naturelle

   Geneva has a nice museum which is worth a visit, especially if you have youth and children.

   Tue-Sun 09:30-17:00·Free

10. See

    Musée d'histoire des sciences

    Museum dedicated to scientists who've lived and worked in Geneva. You can see old equipment from telescopes to galvanometers and glass eyes.

    free

11. See

    Patek Philippe Museum

    Four floors of stunningly beautiful watches and clocks from the last centuries, both Patek Philippe and other brands. There is also a section presenting watchmaking in practice. Bags (even shopping bags) must be kept in free lockers so don't arrive with suitcases!

    Tue-Fri 14:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-18:00·Adults Fr. 10, Seniors/people with disabilities/unemployed/students Fr. 7, under 18 years old free

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Geneva (CC BY-SA 4.0).