Museums and galleries in Zurich

Museums and galleries in Zurich

1. See

   Johann Jacobs Museum

   A museum that describes the complex history of global trade routes and goods and the culture around them.

   Tue 16ː00-20ː00, Sat Sun 11ː00-17ː00·Fr. 7

2. See

   Kunsthaus

   Zurich's most famous art museum. The collection includes works from many Swiss artists, such as the sculptures of Alberto Giacometti or the paintings of Ferdinand Hodler. There are also major works from international artists on display. The museum is building a new extension, scheduled to open in 2020 and thus parts of the museum might be closed at any given time.

   Tue, Fri-Sun 10ː00-18ː00, Wed-Thu 10ː00-18ː00·Fr. 16/11 for the permanent collection. Free on Wednesdays

3. See

   Landesmuseum

   Swiss National Museum

   This is the place to go if you want to learn more about the history of Switzerland. There are permanent exhibitions on history, archaeology and art. Changing temporary exhibitions usually revolve around Swiss topics.

   Tue-Sun 10:00–17:00 and most public holidays including Mon, Thu until 19ː00·Fr. 13/10 (free with Zürich Card)

4. See

   Pavillon Le Corbusier

   This is the last building designed by the Swiss architect le Corbusier. The Pavillon was built after his death as a museum dedicated to his work. Access to the building has long been difficult and expensive, also due to a legal fight between the former patron and initiator of the building and the city of Zurich. Now it is however managed by the city and open to the public. The highlight of the museum is of course the building itself, but there are also yearly changing exhibitions on architecture.

   Wed, Fri-Sun 12:00-18:00, Thu 12:00-20:00·Fr. 12/8 (free with Zürich Card)

5. See

   Rietberg Museum

   This is one of the largest art museums in Switzerland, administered by the City of Zurich. Its focus lies on the traditional and contemporary arts and cultures of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania. The complex consists of three nineteenth-century villas and a coach house, as well as a twenty-first century underground extension crowned by the Emerald, a glass pavilion that opened in 2007, designed by architects Alfred Grazioli and Adolf Krischanitz.

6. Buy

   Schweizer Heimatwerk

   Also branches at the Bahnhofstrasse 2 and the airport. Quality Swiss handicrafts and other Swiss-made products presented in a gallery-like setting. You won't find many cuckoo clocks and the like here (cuckoo clocks are not really Swiss, they are from the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) in Germany!), the emphasis is on real traditional crafts and the work of modern craftspeople. You will find things like sleek modern hand-blown glassware and beautiful hand-carved wooden items from the Appenzell region. A worthwhile visit even if you just browse.

   Mon-Fri 09:00-20:00, Sat 09:00-18:00

7. See

   Villa Patumbah

   Heimatschutzzentrum

   Stunning 19th century villa, which houses an architectural history museum (Heimatschutzzentrum).

   Wed Fri Sat 14:00-17:00; Thu Sun 12:00-17:00·Fr. 10

8. See

   Zoological Museum

   Showcases the zoological collection of the university of Zurich. The first floor has local fauna whereas the lower floor has animals from all over the world.

   Tue-Fri 09ː00-17ː00, Sat-Sun 10ː00-17ː00·Free

9. See

   FIFA World Football Museum

   Explores the world of football and the FIFA.

   Tue-Sat 10:00-19:00, Sun 09:00-18:00·Fr. 24/14 (free with Zürich Card)

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