Swiss National Museum (Landesmuseum Zürich)

Background

The Swiss National Museum in Zurich is one physical museum within the Swiss National Museum group and should not be confused with the administrative body that also includes sites such as Prangins Castle. The museum explains that its collections cover Swiss cultural history, crafts and art from early remains to the present day, and that its permanent displays and themed exhibitions tell the story of social life from different angles. When visiting, understand the exhibits gallery by gallery rather than in a single chronological sequence; the size of the collection also differs from the number of objects on display. The museum is right next to Zurich Main Station, which makes it easy to combine with a walking route through the Old Town.

Local customs

• When you arrive, check the day's programme of permanent exhibitions, temporary exhibitions and events before deciding the order of your visit. Follow the museum's signs on conservation, photography and storage
• keep the volume down when using the audio guide. The museum has information on accessibility services
• if you have a pushchair or need assistance, check it in advance.

Religion & beliefs

• This is a museum of history and culture with no uniform religious etiquette
• when you encounter religious art and traditional objects from different regions, understand their context through the labels and do not lump together objects from different cultures.

Travel tips

• The museum's address is Museumstrasse 2, right next to Zurich Main Station
• you can walk there from the station, and if you come by tram you can choose another stop around the main station depending on the day's works. For the main permanent exhibition, allow 1.5–2.5 hours
• with temporary exhibitions, family activities or close reading of labels, allow half a day. The museum currently lists opening from Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays, but special events and public holidays may change this, so follow the official website before you go
• some exhibitions may be ticketed separately. The museum is an indoor visit, suitable for rainy days or winter, and can be combined with the Lindenhof and the Old Town along the Limmat into a day's itinerary. The official website notes that some tram stops near the main station are under construction until the end of 2026, so do not rely solely on stop names from old maps. You can view the building and the surrounding park from outside
• to enter the exhibitions, follow the museum's ticket and security rules.