Beaulieu Castle

Beaulieu Castle (Château de Beaulieu) in Lausanne is an 18th-century patrician residence in the canton of Vaud, listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. Since 1976 it has housed the Collection de l'Art Brut, one of the world's leading museums of outsider art. You'll find it at 11 avenue des Bergières, a short ride from the city centre.

What is Beaulieu Castle?

Despite the name, this is no fortress. It is an Enlightenment-era country house built for comfortable living, once surrounded by farmland. Its present form comes from Pastor Gabriel-Jean-Henri Mingard, who bought the estate in 1766. The neoclassical east wing was designed by the Lausanne architect Rodolphe de Crousaz and built in 1763–1766. Over the following years, into the 1770s, Mingard hid the old farm behind a deep new block and tied everything together with a third building under a Mansard roof, richly decorated.

The result is a three-part façade roughly 50 metres long, something Lausanne had not seen before. Past residents included Jacques Necker and his family, Marshal de Castries and the historian Jules Michelet.

How did it become a museum?

The city bought the property in stages from the late 19th century until 1914. In 1971 Jean Dubuffet donated his art brut collection to Lausanne, and the city picked Beaulieu from nine candidate sites. Architects Bernard Vouga and Jean de Martini began the conversion in 1974, and the museum opened in 1976. More galleries followed in 1983, 1985, 2002 (an attic room) and 2005.

What will you see inside?

The collection holds about 30,000 works by people working outside the art world: psychiatric patients, recluses, mediums and self-taught makers. Most creators are European, with others from the Americas, Africa and Asia. The permanent display shows only part of the holdings, alongside temporary exhibitions. "The World of Armand Schulthess" runs from 27 November 2026 to 25 April 2027. There is a bookshop, and guided visits are offered for groups and schools.

How do you get to Beaulieu Castle?

Take tl city bus 2, 3 or 21 to the Beaulieu stop. Drivers can use the Beaulieu car park. The castle stands near the Palais de Beaulieu exhibition centre, but the two are separate buildings.

Frequently asked questions

Is Beaulieu Castle the same as the Palais de Beaulieu? No. The Palais is a trade-fair and congress complex; the castle is the historic residence that holds the museum.

Can you visit the castle interiors? Yes, as part of a visit to the Collection de l'Art Brut. Check artbrut.ch for opening hours and prices; tickets are sold online.

How long should you plan for a visit? Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the permanent collection and the current temporary show.

Is it a popular attraction? About 35,000 people visit each year, many of them from Japan.