Basel is a thrilling city unlike any other in Switzerland, where proverbial
Swiss quality meets a multicultural population in the border region close to
France and Germany. All this makes the city unmistakably  cosmopolitan, international and innovative. You can experience its
stylish savoir-vivre throughout the city: on the sunny banks of the Rhine, in
the dreamy alleyways of one of Europe’s best preserved Old Towns, and at the
countless street and pavement cafes. Basel’s motto is “Culture Unlimited” – of
which the diversity is breathtaking.
With nearly 40 museums – home to spectacular special exhibitions, as well as
important permanent collections – it is hardly surprising that Basel has gained
a worldwide reputation as a city of art and culture. Visitors encounter this
richness not only in the many museums, but throughout Basel. The close proximity
of grand, classical houses, medieval churches and world-renowned modern
architecture makes for fascinating contrasts.
Art, architecture, design.
In architecture as in art, Basel combines the traditional and the modern at
the very highest level. The Art Museum Basel, for example, is home to the oldest
public collection of art in the world. Quite different is the Schaulager,
designed by the world-renowned Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron. When
this thrilling fusion of museum, art warehouse and research facilities opened
its doors in 2003, it was hailed as one of the pioneering institutions of
contemporary art. The collections of the Emanuel Hoffman Foundation, stored at
the Schaulager, can also be seen on display in temporary exhibitions at the
Contemporary Art Museum, another institution that made art history: when it
opened in 1980, it was the first of its kind in the world.
Many of the museums are housed in structures that are in themselves important
works of art. The Tinguely Museum, for example, is a magnificent example of the
distinctive work of the Swiss architect Mario Botta. Another must is a visit to
the Swiss Architecture Museum, the only one in the country. The Vitra Design
Museum – the first building in Europe by the world-renowned California architect
Frank O. Gehry – lies in a vast architectural park, set among cherry trees. With
the Fondation Beyeler, meanwhile, Renzo Piano created one of the most elegant
and sophisticated museum buildings anywhere.
A visit to Basel is a trip into the past as much as a glimpse of the future.
A visit to the collections of the History Museum, for example, takes in several
buildings of the Old Town: the Gothic Barfüsserkirche, the classical Stadtpalais
and the former prison of the Lohnhof. To travel even further back in time, visit
the Roman city of Augusta Raurica: the most important archaeological excavation
site in Switzerland.
Highlights.
Basel Museum of Ancient Art and Ludwig Collection. The only Swiss
museum devoted to the art and culture of antiquity.
Münster and Münsterplatz. The medieval cathedral stands on a
magnificent square in the heart of the Old Town.
Fondation Beyeler. Superb collection – and special temporary
exhibitions – featuring highlights of the classical modern period.
Basel History Museum – Music Museum. The largest collection of musical
instruments in Switzerland.
Tinguely Museum. Collection of works by the Swiss artist Jean
Tinguely, who died in 1991.
Schaulager. Ground-breaking building designed by Herzog & de
Meuron that re-invents our relationship with contemporary art.
Augusta Raurica. The most significant architectural excavation site in
Switzerland.
Vitra Design Museum. Museum of the furniture design company Vitra,
showcasing highlights from the history of design.
Zentralstellwerk SBB. Control centre for the Swiss railway network,
designed by Herzog & de Meuron: one of many pieces of thrilling modern
architecture in the city.
Basel Tourismus
CH-4010 Basel
Tel. +41 (0)61 268 68 68
info@basel.com
www.basel.com |
HOME 
