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  4. Schweizerisches Landesmuseum

Schweizerisches Landesmuseum, Zurich

Photo © GFDL. View all images in our Schweizerisches Landesmuseum Photo Gallery.
Photo © Holly Hayes.
Photo © Holly Hayes.
Photo © Holly Hayes.
Photo © Holly Hayes.
Photo © Holly Hayes.

Located next to the train station, the Swiss National Museum (Schweizerisches Landesmuseum) in Zürich is a massive and important museum that provides an epic survey of the culture and history of the Swiss people.

History

The museum's vast collection is housed in a 19th-century Neo-Gothic castle. The displays include a large amount of medieval religious art that has not been welcome in Zürich's churches since the Reformation. These exhibits, shown mostly on the ground floor, range from 9th-century Carolingian art to frescoes from the Convent Church of Mustair and 16th-century stained glass from Tanikon Convent.

There is a Zwingli Room about the Swiss Reformation and an exceptional prehistoric section, with some artifacts dating from the 4th millennium BC. The rest of the collection includes a large display of Roman clothing, medieval silverware, 14th-century drinking bowls, and 17th-century china, as well as painted furniture, costumes, and dollhouses of various periods.

A display of weapons and armor shows the methods of Swiss warfare from 800 to 1800. There's also a reconstructed 18th-century apothecary and an exhibit tracing Swiss clockmaking from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

Special exhibitions are presented twice annually, lasting between 3 and 6 months. Themes are always different; a recent one was devoted to Swiss fashion design.


Quick Facts on Schweizerisches Landesmuseum

Site Information
Names:Schweizerisches Landesmuseum; Schweizerisches Landesmuseum, Zurich; Swiss National Museum
City:Zurich
State:Canton Zurich
Country:Switzerland
cat:Museums
Visitor and Contact Information
Address:Museumstrasse 2, Zurich, Switzerland
Coordinates:47.379180° N, 8.539982° E  (view on Google Maps)
Opening Hours:Tue-Sun 10:30am-5pm
Cost:5F adults, 3F students and seniors, special exhibitions 8F-12F
Transport:Tram 3, 4, 5, 11, 13, or 14
Phone:01/218-65-11
Lodging:View hotels near this location
Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

Map of Schweizerisches Landesmuseum

Below is a location map and aerial view of Schweizerisches Landesmuseum. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.

References

  1. Personal visit (exterior and lobby only; December 18, 2006).
  2. Rick Steves' Switzerland
  3. Frommer's Switzerland.
  4. The Rough Guide to Switzerland.

More Information

Article Info

Title:Schweizerisches Landesmuseum, Zurich
Author:Holly Hayes
Last updated:10/26/2009
Permalink:www.sacred-destinations.com/switzerland/zurich-landesmuseum
Link code:<a href="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/switzerland/zurich-landesmuseum">Schweizerisches Landesmuseum, Zurich</a>