A new family exhibition at the National Museum Zurich invites you to join us on a journey through time. Spread over three themed rooms, the exhibition allows visitors to step back into the past.

Many children dream of travelling back in time. In the new permanent exhibition ‘A Magic Carpet ride through history’, we make this dream come true! Spread over three separate spaces, visitors can explore the topics ‘Orient’, ‘Seafaring’ and ‘Railways’, with plenty of hands-on fun. In an Arabian palace, on the deck of a large sailing ship and in a vintage railway carriage, young Museum visitors can really get a feel for these momentous eras in global history.

From the early Middle Ages onwards, the Orient had an immense influence on the western world. Trade routes brought valuable knowledge to Europe, and this new information was quickly dispersed throughout the region and beyond. For instance, the Arab numerical system left its mark on schooling and business, while the medical field benefitted from significant discoveries and inventions. In the 15th century, Europeans sailed into unknown waters. New shipbuilding techniques made it possible to undertake long voyages on the high seas. The masters of maritime navigation were at home in Portugal and Spain, and it was from these countries that the exotic products the seafarers brought back to their homeland found their way to every corner of the globe. The invention of the railway in the 19th century meant people and goods could be transported much faster, and brought the big, wide world within reach. The railway accelerated industrialisation, boosted tourism and, with its bridges and tunnels, dramatically altered the landscape of Switzerland.

The family exhibition ‘A Magic Carpet ride through history’ combines learning with activities designed specially for children. The exquisitely designed backdrop provides space for imaginations to run free at the Museum, and the beautiful original objects are important witnesses to these epochs in the cultural history of our world.