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Exhibition

The exhibition showcases more than 7,000 exhibits from the Museum’s own collection, highlighting Swiss artistry and craftsmanship over a period of about 1,000 years. The exhibition spaces themselves are important witnesses to contemporary history, and tie in with the objects displayed to create a historically dense atmosphere that allows visitors to immerse themselves deeply in the past.

Video tours

Four Generations of Ring Collecting

Alice and Louis Koch Collection

Alice and Louis Koch were patrons of the arts and jewelers. By 1909 they had collected 1,722 rings from Antiquity to 1900. Four generations later 600 rings of the 20th and 21st century were added. The Alice and Louis Koch collection can be seen in the west wing of the National Museum Zurich.  As part of New York Jewelry Week 2020, jewelry expert Beatriz Chadour-Sampson gave a talk about the collection.

Entire talk by Beatriz Chadour-Sampson

Audioguide

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With the free ‘Landesmuseum’ app, you can listen to the audio guides to the exhibitions on your own Smartphone. An innovative guide navigates you through the museum.

App Store   Google Play Huawei App Gallery

Guided tours

The National museum Zurich offers a variety of events and guided tours.

See all the offers on the German website.

Ausstellungsansicht der Dauerausstellung "Die Sammlung".

The collection in the west wing – Spaces for history

Guided tour for private groups

On this tour, important objects from the collection engage in dialogue with the recently renovated historical rooms, enabling history to be experienced at first hand. What did the apartments of the last abbess of Fraumünster abbey look like? How were the front rooms known as Stuben furnished in days gone by? The dense array of historical objects allows participants to immerse themselves in the past.

Tour: 1 hour

Guided tours can be arranged outside opening hours: Mon between 9.30 am and 6 pm, Tue to Fri between 9.30 am and 7.45 pm. Sat and Sun between 10 am and 5 pm

Registration:  

 2 weeks in advance

Duration:

 

60 minutes; special packages can be offered on request

Group size:

 

max. 25 participants per tour

Languages:

 

English, German, Italian, French. Other offers upon request.

Cost:


 

 

CHF 180 for the guided tour + CHF 10 admission per person

Children up to 16 years free.

For groups of people with permit N, S, B, F (refugee) or F (foreigner), the guided tour and admission are free of charge.

accessibility.sr-only.person_card_info Reservations desk

+41 44 218 66 00 reservationen@nationalmuseum.ch
Ausstellungsansicht der Dauerausstellung "Die Sammlung".

Fashion – Bodices, buttons, and breeches

Guided tour for private groups

Clothing is an expression of personality or social status. Additionally, it is always a reflection of the times. How have fashions changed in the course of the centuries? What can the clothing of bygone days tell us? The tour allows participants to discover the history of fashion and the way clothing has changed over the centuries.

Tour: 1 hour

Guided tours can be arranged outside opening hours: Mon between 9.30 am and 6 pm, Tue to Fri between 9.30 am and 7.45 pm. Sat and Sun between 10 am and 5 pm

Registration:  

 2 weeks in advance

Duration:

 

60 minutes; special packages can be offered on request

Group size:

 

max. 25 participants per tour

Languages:

 

English, German, Italian, French. Other offers upon request.

Cost:


 

 

CHF 180 for the guided tour + CHF 10 admission per person

Children up to 16 years free.

For groups of people with permit N, S, B, F (refugee) or F (foreigner), the guided tour and admission are free of charge.

accessibility.sr-only.person_card_info Reservations desk

+41 44 218 66 00 reservationen@nationalmuseum.ch
Gemaltes Porträt des Reformators Huldrych Zwingli.

The Protestant Reformation and its consequences

Guided tour for private groups

The Reformation changed the course of European history. What began as criticism of the Roman Catholic Church developed into a significant movement for religious reform. What caused the schism in which the Reformed Church split off from the Catholic Church? How did the Reformation influence society and politics? The tour sheds light on the far-reaching changes brought about by the Reformation.

Tour: 1 hour

Guided tours can be arranged outside opening hours: Mon between 9.30 am and 6 pm, Tue to Fri between 9.30 am and 7.45 pm. Sat and Sun between 10 am and 5 pm

Registration:  

 2 weeks in advance

Duration:

 

60 minutes; special packages can be offered on request

Group size:

 

max. 25 participants per tour

Languages:

 

English, German, Italian, French. Other offers upon request.

Cost:


 

 

CHF 180 for the guided tour + CHF 10 admission per person

Children up to 16 years free.

For groups of people with permit N, S, B, F (refugee) or F (foreigner), the guided tour and admission are free of charge.

accessibility.sr-only.person_card_info Reservations desk

+41 44 218 66 00 reservationen@nationalmuseum.ch

Blog posts

Media

Opening of the collection in the West Wing

National Museum Zurich
published on 10.10.2019

The renovation of the West Wing of the National Museum Zurich is now complete. This wing of the building has been restored to its 1898 condition and equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The result is a chamber of treasures that brings together the best objects from every era.

The renovation of the historically unique West Wing was also a return to the origins of the National Museum. Designed by Gustav Gull and opened in 1898, the building was constructed at the height of the historicist period. During this particular epoch, architecture combined a range of different historical styles, while also creating new elements and adding them to the overall appearance. This diversity of styles made the renovation of the building extremely challenging.

In close cooperation with the cantonal department responsible for the preservation of historic monuments, it has been possible to restore large parts of the West Wing to their original 1898 condition. However, this required not only an in-depth consideration of the building’s architecture, which is based on different eras from one room to the next, but also a re-examination of the way in which the Museum’s exhibits are presented. Presentation played a critical role in the Museum’s construction, more than 120 years ago: at that time, space and object were considered as a single entity. Gustav Gull more or less built the exhibition spaces around the exhibits on show, creating a historically dense ambience which facilitated access to the past and brought history to life.

However, the result is not a mere homage to the past; rather, very much in line with the historicist style, it is a return to historical vigour. These strengths have been complemented with the latest technology. Architects Christ & Gantenbein reconstructed original floors and adapted them to modern-day requirements, uncovered lightwells, and opened windows that had been bricked up over the past few decades. They also revealed long-forgotten paintings, bringing them back to the light of day. The result is a beautifully crafted chamber of Switzerland’s treasures that will delight both museum lovers and architecture enthusiasts.

Images

National Museum Zurich press contact

+41 44 218 65 64 medien@nationalmuseum.ch

Partner

The Swiss National Museum would like to thank for the generous support.

Exhibtion imprint

Overall management
Andreas Spillmann

Project management
Luca Tori

Exhibition curators
Luca Tori, Heidi Amrein, Jacqueline Perifanakis

Curators of the collections
Jürg Burlet, Beatriz Chadour, Andrea Franzen, Erika Hebeisen, Christian Hörack, Joya Indermühle, Christine Keller Lüthi, Mylène Ruoss, Bernard A. Schüle, Christina Sonderegger, Ricabeth Steiger

Scientific collaboration
Heidi Brunner, Stefan Egli, Nora Rudolf

Scenography
ATELIER BRÜCKNER GmbH: Uwe R. Brückner, Carmen Utz, Tanja Zöllner, Christin Erdmann

Project management Scenography
ATELIER BRÜCKNER GmbH: Carmen Utz

Graphics
ATELIER BRÜCKNER GmbH: Jana Fröhlich, Evelyn Prochota, Sarah Mager

Lighting design
Atelier Derrer: Rolf Derrer

Lighting
Marc Hägeli; Atelier Derrer: Rolf Derrer

Graphic key Visual
Roli Hofer

Media installations
René Vogel, Thomas Bucher; ATELIER BRÜCKNER GmbH: Tanja Zöllner; medienprojekt P2: Matthias De Ponte; 2av GmbH: Michael Barth, Johannes Friedrich, Martin Schmitt, Katrin Jedon, Surya Wöhrle, Jens Döring

Education and mediation
Stefanie Bittmann, Lisa Engi, Maria Iseli, Severin Marty

Public relations and marketing
Andrej Abplanalp, Alexander Rechsteiner, Carole Neuenschwander, Sebastiano Mereu, Anna-Britta Maag

Technical management
Walter Milan, Mike Zaugg, Gianina Flepp, Henrike Binder

Exhibition construction
Barth, Innenausbau KG, d. Ivo Barth GmbH: Thomas Ziegler, Ivo Barth; Sehner GmbH: Andreas Aupperle, Jürgen Sehner

Conservation and restoration management period rooms
Gaby Petrak

Conservation and restoration period rooms
Geißler & Lewandrowski Restaurierung; Restaurierungsatelier Kaufmann; Atelier Magener; Restaurierung Michel Räber GmbH; Schnetzler Wohngestaltung

Conservation management exhibits
Markus Leuthard, Elke Mürau, Tino Zagermann

Conservation and installation of objects
Nikki Calonder, Natalie Ellwanger, Etienne von Gunten, Andreas Hofmann, Isabel Keller, Elisabeth Kleine, Martin Ledergerber, Iona Leroy, Sarah Longrée, Uldis Mãkulis, Véronique Mathieu Lingenhel, Jürg Mathys, Leila Meister-El Ansari, Claudia Merfert, Françoise Michel, Elke Mürau, Caroline Muschel, Gaby Petrak, Ulrike Rothenhäusler, Nora Rudolf, Friederike Szlosze, Peter Wyer, Tino Zagermann

Object logistics and installation
David Blazquez, Simon D’Hollosy, Reto Hegetschweiler, Markus Scherer; Alder Stahl + Schweiss: Chrigel Alder, Christian Affentranger; Glasatelier Dold: Aline Dold; Fißler & Kollegen GmbH: Thomas Fißler, Bertram Haude, Franziska Hülsenberg, Daniel Klawitter

Advisory committee
Heidi Amrein, Ellen Bryner, Beat Högger, Markus Leuthard, Sabrina Médioni, Andreas Spillmann

Project controlling
Sabrina Médioni, Luigi Razzano, Ellen Bryner

Head of legal and contracts
Ursina Geissbühler, Jana Pfyl

Photography
Jonas Hänggi, Donat Stuppan

Photo archive
Andrea Kunz, Fabian Müller

Photographic rights
Barbara Davatz, Cristina Zilioli, Hélène Tobler, Francisco Paco Carrascosa

IT and Web
René Vogel, Stefan Hengstler, Daniel Niedermann, Pasquale Pollastro, Michael Ruckstuhl, Danilo Rüttimann

Translations
Veronica Barbacovi, Beatriz Chadour, Bill Gilonis, Laurence Neuffer, Nigel Stephenson, Marie-Christine Streuli

Editing and proofreading
Eva Carlevaro, Andrea Franzen, Joya Indermühle, Ingrid Kunz Graf, Laurence Neuffer, Jacqueline Perifanakis, Ilaria Piccolini, Catherine Schelbert, Daniela Schwab, Louise Stein, Nicole Wachter, Samuel van Willigen

We would like to thank the following companies for their support:
ATIDMA SCOP SARL; Isabelle de Bochegrave; Böhm Kabel AG; Eicher Werkstätten GmbH & Co. KG; Elektro Compagnoni AG; ERCO Lighting AG; GP Fiber Optics GmbH; IMModell; In Synergie GmbH; Kaba AG; Neonilluma AG; Poly-rapid AG; Richner AG; Samuel Rüegg Schreinerei GmbH; Securiton AG; Secusuisse AG; Touchewood Schreinerei