Culture and art in Switzerland

Stapferhaus Lenzburg

Lenzburg

Stapferhaus Lenzburg is a Swiss house of exhibitions and debate in Lenzburg, in the canton of Aargau. It is not a museum of display cases. Each show takes one current social question and invites visitors to take part in it, answering, comparing views and talking. What is the Stapferhaus? The institution spent decades in makeshift quarters in Lenzburg Castle and the former arsenal. Today it has a building of its own, bringing exhibitions, events and offices under one roof. Its themes touch everyday life: how information and truth work, or what health means to us. The exhibitions are interactive, so you contribute your own opinions rather than just reading labels. What does the new building look like? The house stands right by Lenzburg railway station at Bahnhofstrasse 49. The Zurich practice pool Architekten won the design competition. The structure is made of timber glazed in blue-black and forms an ensemble of three volumes, with a pergola of extended beams spanning the forecourt towards the station. It opened on 28 October 2018 with the exhibition "FAKE – Die ganze Wahrheit", about the flow of information today. The project cost roughly CHF 25 million. It was built to Swiss barrier-free standards, so the exhibitions are accessible to visitors with disabilities. How do you get there? Take a train from Zurich or Bern to Lenzburg. The Stapferhaus is on the square in front of the platforms, so no car is needed. How long should you plan, and what else is nearby? Allow two to four hours for an exhibition. Shows are offered in German, French and English. Afterwards, walk up to Lenzburg's old town and the castle on the hill, the institution's former home. Frequently asked questions Is the Stapferhaus open all year? Exhibitions change periodically, and the house can be closed to visitors between two shows. The next exhibition is scheduled to open on 8 November 2026. Check stapferhaus.ch for current dates. How much is a ticket? An adult ticket recently cost about CHF 21, a ticket for visitors up to 25 about CHF 13, and children under 6 enter free. On selected Sundays visitors choose what they pay. Prices can change, so confirm before you go. Are the exhibitions available in English? Yes. They are offered in German, French and English. Is it a good place for families? The interactive format works well with teenagers, and children up to 16 pay a reduced fare.

Swiss Foundation for Photography

Fotostiftung Schweiz (the Swiss Foundation for Photography) is a centre for photography in Winterthur, in the canton of Zurich. It is a private non-profit foundation with its own exhibition space at Grüzenstrasse 45, a short walk from the old town in a converted industrial district. What is the Swiss Foundation for Photography? Set up in 1971, the foundation exists to preserve, study and present photographic work. Its collecting focus is photography connected with Switzerland, from the earliest days of the medium to the present. The strongest holdings date from the 1930s to the 1950s, complemented by masterpieces of international photography. What will you see? Temporary exhibitions are the main draw. The foundation stages several each year; sources quote three to four, while the official site speaks of four to six. Shows range from classics of Swiss documentary and reportage photography to contemporary voices. The programme changes often, so check fotostiftung.ch for what is on. Behind the galleries sits a large archive: about 50,000 exhibition prints, roughly 250,000 archive prints and over a million negatives and slides. On behalf of the Federal Office of Culture, the foundation also looks after the estates of around 80 outstanding photographers. Digitised material is gradually made available through an online database for researchers and image users. Is there a library? Yes. Together with the neighbouring Fotomuseum Winterthur, the foundation runs a public photography library. The official site counts more than 30,000 publications, making it a good stop for anyone interested in photographic history and theory. The foundation also publishes its own books on Swiss photo history. How do you get there? Winterthur is about 20 to 25 minutes by train from Zurich. From the main station you can walk or take local transport to the Grüze district. The address is Grüzenstrasse 45, 8400 Winterthur. Fotomuseum Winterthur is next door, so combining both in one day is easy. When should you visit? The gallery is closed on Mondays. On other days it opens around 11:00 and closes in the evening, with longer hours on Wednesdays. Times and ticket prices are adjusted from time to time, so confirm them on the official website before you travel. Recent listings mention free entry on Wednesday evenings, and children and young people up to 16 enter free. Frequently asked questions Is it the same as Fotomuseum Winterthur? No. They are two separate institutions in the same area that cooperate on the photography library. How long should I plan? One to two hours covers the exhibitions; allow more if you want to use the library. Does it show only Swiss photographers? Swiss photography is the core, but the collection also includes international work. Can I browse the collection online? Yes, part of the digitised holdings is accessible in the foundation's online database.

Pinacoteca comunale Casa Rusca

Locarno

Pinacoteca comunale Casa Rusca is Locarno's municipal art gallery, set in Ticino, in southern Switzerland. It occupies an 18th-century town house in the old quarter, a few minutes on foot from Piazza Grande. After a careful restoration in the 1980s the building became a museum, and since 1987 it has hosted temporary exhibitions by Swiss and international artists. What is Casa Rusca? The house is a historic residence that now serves as the city's main venue for visiting art shows. It is also known as Museo Casa Rusca. It took over from the earlier municipal museum of contemporary art, which had been based in the Visconti castle. The rooms are plain and well lit, so attention stays on the paintings, sculptures and posters on display rather than on the interior. How does Hans Arp fit in? The city's collection began with a gift in 1965. Hans (Jean) Arp and his wife Marguerite Hagenbach gave Locarno six sculptures and twenty reliefs by the artist, plus works by European friends from their circle. The couple were made honorary citizens in return, and the donation laid the groundwork for the gallery. Municipal holdings also include pieces by Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Hans Richter, Varlin and Filippo Franzoni. The permanent Arp display is now shown at the nearby Museo Casorella, which has presented the city collections since 2019, while Casa Rusca concentrates on its changing exhibition programme. What will you see? The programme is built on temporary shows. Between exhibitions the building can be closed to the public, so check the current calendar before you go. In spring 2026 the museum reopened with a show devoted to Daniele Buzzi (1890-1974), covering paintings and posters by the Ticino artist. A visit usually takes one to two hours. It combines easily with the city's two other museums, Casorella and Castello Visconti, which are covered by a joint ticket. How do you get there? Locarno sits on Lake Maggiore. From the railway station it is a walk of about fifteen minutes to the old town. Trains connect Locarno with Bellinzona, and from there with Lugano and Zurich. If you arrive by car, leave it in one of the car parks near Piazza Grande and continue on foot, as the centre has narrow lanes and restricted-traffic zones. When is the best time to visit? Exhibitions run all year, but the museum pairs best with a lakeside stroll between May and September. In August the Locarno Film Festival fills the old town with crowds. Autumn and winter are quieter, and a rainy day is a good reason to step into a gallery. Frequently asked questions Can I see the permanent Arp collection at Casa Rusca? The Arp works belong to the city, but the permanent display is at Museo Casorella. Casa Rusca focuses mainly on temporary exhibitions. When did the museum open? The building dates from the 18th century. After restoration in the 1980s it became a gallery, and temporary exhibitions have been held there since 1987. How long should I plan for? One to two hours is usually enough, depending on the current show. Is the museum open all year? Yes, but each exhibition has set dates and the building can close between shows. Check the programme on the museum's website before travelling.

Light Show / Bern Film Library

Bern

Lichtspiel / Kinemathek Bern is a film archive with its own small cinema in Bern, Switzerland. It occupies the attic of a former knitwear factory, Ryff & Co., at Sandrainstrasse 3, a short distance from the city centre. Come here for cinema off the beaten track: vintage projectors, home movies and short films you will not find in a multiplex. What is the Kinemathek Bern? The archive began in 2000, when an association stepped in to save the collection of cinema technician Walter Ritschard before it was broken up. Ritschard cared more about projection equipment than films, yet his holdings included trailers, newsreels, short documentaries and amateur reels. Today the institution rescues, restores and shares film material. It has had a service agreement with the City of Bern since 2008 and is a member of FIAF, the international federation of film archives, and of ACE, the European cinematheques association. What can you see there? The heart of the place is an 80-seat cinema, set among projector displays, viewing tables and storage rooms. Programmes mix screenings from its own vaults with retrospectives borrowed from other archives. The collection holds tens of thousands of short films, plus photographs and posters. The emphasis is on small gauges: 16 mm and the amateur 9.5 mm format, the earliest successful home-movie standard. The archive also houses the UNICA collection and the Swiss animation film group GSFA. How do you visit? The collections are open to the public by prior appointment. Cinema screenings follow a published programme, so check the archive's schedule before you go. The auditorium is small, so book ahead for popular evenings. Who is it for? Film history fans, collectors, photographers and families curious about vintage home movies. You also get a look at a converted industrial building in Bern. Frequently asked questions Where is Lichtspiel / Kinemathek Bern? At Sandrainstrasse 3 in Bern, in the attic of the former Ryff & Co. factory. Can I view the collections without booking? Access is by prior appointment. Cinema screenings run to a programme. How many seats does the cinema have? About 80. What kind of films does the archive hold? Mostly short and amateur films, especially in 16 mm and 9.5 mm formats.

Kunsthalle Zürich

Zürich

Kunsthalle Zürich is a contemporary art venue at Limmatstrasse 270 in the Zürich-West district of Zurich. Founded in 1985, it has no permanent collection. Instead it stages a rotating programme of temporary shows, often giving artists an early Swiss platform. Where is Kunsthalle Zürich and how do you get there? The gallery sits inside the Löwenbräukunst complex, a former brewery converted into an art centre. Other galleries and a contemporary art museum share the site. Take a tram to the Löwenbräu stop (lines 8, 17, 50 and 51 among them). You can also walk from the main station, following the railway viaduct westward. Zürich-West is the city's best-known post-industrial quarter, so it pays to leave time for the surroundings. What will you see? The programme covers current art: installation, sculpture, film, painting and performance-based work. The number of shows per year varies, from a handful to around ten depending on the source and season. Past exhibitors include John Armleder, Terence Koh and Wolfgang Tillmans. Because exhibitions change every few months, check kunsthallezurich.ch for the current line-up before you go. What is its history? The Kunsthalle opened in 1985. In the 1990s it became part of the Löwenbräu site, and in 1996 it was grouped with the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst and several galleries as one art cluster. The exhibition spaces in Löwenbräukunst were later expanded. Directors have included Bernhard Mendes Bürgi (1990-2001), Beatrix Ruf (2001-2014) and Daniel Baumann (2015-2024); Fanny Hauser has led it since 2025. When should you visit, and what does it cost? The venue is normally open Tuesday to Sunday, with later hours on one weekday evening, and closed on Mondays. Tourist sites quote slightly different times, so confirm on the official website. A standard ticket costs about CHF 12 and a reduced one about CHF 8; Thursday evenings have been free. Allow one to two hours. Frequently Asked Questions Does Kunsthalle Zürich have a permanent collection? No. It is an exhibition space showing temporary exhibitions only. Can you combine it with other museums nearby? Yes. Löwenbräukunst also houses the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst and commercial galleries, so several venues fit into one visit. Is admission free? Not usually. A standard ticket is about CHF 12, with free entry at certain hours on Thursdays and discounts or free entry for children. Which tram goes there? Get off at Löwenbräu, served by lines 8, 17, 50 and 51 among others.

Ausstellungsraum Klingental

Basel

Ausstellungsraum Klingental in Basel is a contemporary art space in Kleinbasel, set inside the former Klingental convent church. Admission is free, and the programme centres on artists who live and work in Basel. What is this place? Artists founded the space in 1974 on the grounds of the old Kaserne barracks. The hall is a convent church consecrated in 1293, remodelled in 1981 by the architects Herzog & de Meuron. The result is a medieval shell used as a stripped-back, modern gallery. A rotating group of artists, art historians and curators runs the venue. It positions itself as a meeting point between contemporary art and the public, and it joins citywide events such as Museum Night and the Regionale exhibition. What will you see? Shows change several times a year and lean experimental: installation, sound, performance, video. Past projects include "Within Others' Sounds" (2019), which brought together artists from Argentina, Chile, Germany and Switzerland, "Las ConSuelos" (2022), "Basement Hum" (autumn 2022) and "Country Offside" (2024), a queer rethinking of traditional objects and customs. There is no permanent display, so every visit is different. How do you get there? The address is Kasernenstrasse 23, 4058 Basel, on the right bank of the Rhine next to the Kasernenareal. From the old town you can walk across one of the Rhine bridges, and the area is well served by trams and buses. When should you visit? Opening hours apply only while an exhibition is running. Visitor directories list Monday to Friday 15:00-18:00 and Saturday and Sunday 11:00-17:00. Check the current programme at ausstellungsraum.ch before you go. Opening nights and Museum Night are good times to come, with extra events on. What else is nearby? The former convent next door houses the separate Museum Kleines Klingental, devoted to the history of Basel, with its own hours and tickets. The same complex also contains the Förderateliers Klingental, studios for artists run by the canton. Frequently asked questions Is entry free? Yes, admission to Ausstellungsraum Klingental is free. Is there a permanent exhibition? No. The gallery shows temporary exhibitions that change through the year. Is it the same as Museum Kleines Klingental? No. They are two separate venues in the same historic complex: one shows contemporary art, the other the history of Basel. How long should I plan? Usually 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the current show.

nano - Raum für Kunst

Zürich

nano - Raum für Kunst is a small, non-commercial contemporary art space in Zürich's Wipkingen district, in the north of the city. You will not find a permanent collection or a gift shop here. What you get instead is a steadily rotating exhibition programme that shows what the local art scene is working on right now. What is nano - Raum für Kunst? The gallery runs as a non-profit association, largely staffed by volunteers. It focuses on experimental, interdisciplinary art and shows professional artists from Zürich and across Switzerland. The address is Röschibachstrasse 57, 8037 Zürich. The space grew out of an earlier venue, KunstRaum R57. Since the start of 2019 it has been run by a team of three curators: Maria Bill, Antonia Hersche and Regula Weber. When they took over, they changed the name, the logo and the programme concept. What will you see there? The schedule is busy. Over a year there are around five two-artist shows plus one joint annual exhibition. Each show lasts under three weeks, so a second visit means an entirely different display. The space also reaches out to the neighbourhood. In September 2020 it hosted WIP-KINGE, a project in which artists and musicians living in Wipkingen built an interactive show about their own area. How do you get there, and when should you go? The gallery sits in Wipkingen, within the city of Zürich, at roughly 47.394 N, 8.527 E. The district is well connected to the centre by public transport, and Hauptbahnhof is a short ride away. Because exhibitions change every few weeks and opening hours depend on the current show, check the programme before you set out. A visit usually takes 20 to 40 minutes. It pairs well with a walk through Wipkingen and along the Limmat, or with a trip to larger institutions such as the Kunsthaus or the Kunsthalle. Who is it for? Anyone who wants the independent scene rather than only the well-known museums. If you like young local art, a chance to talk with artists at an opening, or simply a different evening in Zürich, nano is a good pick. Frequently asked questions Is there an entrance fee? The gallery operates as a non-commercial association. Entry terms for each exhibition are listed in its programme. How often do the exhibitions change? About every two and a half weeks. A year holds roughly five two-artist shows and one group show. Who runs the space? Since 2019, the curators Maria Bill, Antonia Hersche and Regula Weber, who took over the former KunstRaum R57. Where exactly is nano? At Röschibachstrasse 57 in the Wipkingen district, postcode 8037 Zürich.

Galerie Gmurzynska

Zürich

Galerie Gmurzynska in Zurich is a private art gallery known for classic modern art and, above all, the Russian avant-garde. Its flagship sits at Paradeplatz 2, in the middle of the city's banking and shopping district. Entry is free: this is a commercial gallery, not a museum, yet the exhibitions are staged with museum-level ambition. What is Galerie Gmurzynska? Polish-born dealer Antonina Gmurzynska opened the gallery in Cologne in 1965. Its second year brought a David Burliuk show, the first avant-garde exhibition it ever mounted. Until 1971 the programme focused on Surrealism, international Constructivism and related movements. That path made the gallery a magnet for international collectors looking for Russian art that was hard to obtain from the Soviet Union. In 2005, forty years after the founding, Krystyna Gmurzynska and Mathias Rastorfer relocated the business from Cologne to Zurich. Further branches now operate in Zug, St. Moritz and New York. What will you see? The focus is modern and contemporary classics of the 20th century. Expect works by Russian avant-garde figures such as Malevich alongside post-war and living artists. Shows change every few weeks, often pairing historical masters with contemporary names, and are accompanied by catalogues. Zurich has two exhibition spaces: the flagship at Paradeplatz 2 and a second one at Talstrasse 37, a short walk away. Visit both if you have time. Why does the Paradeplatz building matter? The building dates from 1857. In 1917 the Dada movement was founded in the same house, so a gallery of modern art found a home with a strong avant-garde pedigree. The original Galerie Dada is long gone, but Confiserie Sprüngli still operates nearby and makes a fine coffee stop afterwards. How do you get there, and when should you go? Paradeplatz is one of Zurich's main tram hubs, and about ten minutes on foot along Bahnhofstrasse from the main railway station. The gallery opens Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:30 and on Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00; it is closed on Sunday. Both locations keep the same hours. Allow 30 to 60 minutes, and combine the visit with a stroll down Bahnhofstrasse and through the old town. Frequently asked questions Is there an entrance fee? No. Galerie Gmurzynska is a commercial gallery and you can walk in without a ticket. Can I buy the works on display? Yes. The gallery sells to collectors and institutions, and the staff will talk you through the pieces on view. How many spaces does the gallery have in Zurich? Two: Paradeplatz 2 and Talstrasse 37. When was the gallery founded? In 1965 in Cologne. It moved to Zurich in 2005.

Kunsthalle Winterthur

Winterthur

Kunsthalle Winterthur is a contemporary art gallery in the Swiss city of Winterthur, canton of Zurich. Its home is the historic Waaghaus at Marktgasse 25, in the heart of the old town. It shows work by regional artists alongside internationally established names, and entry is free. What is Kunsthalle Winterthur? The Kunsthalle is a venue for temporary exhibitions and keeps no permanent collection. Four to six shows run each year, so the programme changes often. Younger artists from the region appear next to figures known on the international scene. The galleries occupy the second upper floor of the Waaghaus. Until 1915 the same rooms displayed the collection of what is now the art museum of Winterthur. The space became an official Kunsthalle in 1980, opening with an exhibition by Max Bill, the Swiss artist and designer. What will you see? Expect installation, painting, sculpture, video and site-specific work. Every December the gallery hosts the annual show of the Künstlergruppe Winterthur, an artists' group founded in 1916. It is a good way to get a feel for the local scene. Do not confuse it with Kunst Museum Winterthur, which has its own buildings and permanent collections, or with Fotostiftung Schweiz. These are separate institutions, so check the address before you set out. How do you get there? Winterthur is about 20 minutes by train from Zurich, and the old town is a short walk from the main station. The Waaghaus stands on the pedestrian shopping street of the Altstadt, a few minutes on foot from the platforms. You do not need a car. When should you visit? Museum directories list typical opening hours of Wednesday to Friday, 12:00 to 18:00, and weekends, 12:00 to 16:00. The gallery is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Dates for each show are posted on kunsthallewinterthur.ch. Note that the building is under renovation until December 2026. Until then the annual programme runs at various venues around Winterthur rather than in the Waaghaus. Check the gallery website for the current location before you go. Frequently asked questions Is entry to Kunsthalle Winterthur free? Yes, admission is free. Does the Kunsthalle have a permanent collection? No. It presents temporary exhibitions only, four to six a year. Where is the gallery? In the Waaghaus at Marktgasse 25 in Winterthur's old town, a few minutes on foot from the station. Is the gallery open in its usual building right now? The Waaghaus is being renovated until December 2026. Exhibitions take place at other locations in the city meanwhile, so consult the official site for the current programme.