Sights in Northern Switzerland
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Kunstmuseum
The Kunstmuseum concentrates on two periods: from 1400 to 1600, and from 1800 to the present day. The medieval collection includes the world’s largest number of Holbein works. The smaller contemporary collection features Picassos and Rodins.
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Augusta Raurica
By the Rhine, these Roman ruins are Switzerland's largest. They're the last remnants of a colony founded in 44 BC that had grown to 20,000 citizens by the 2nd century. Today, restored features include an open-air theatre and several temples. There's also a Roman Museum which features an authentic Roman house among its exhibits.
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Puppenhausmuseum
Basel’s Puppenhausmuseum attracts teddy-bear fans from all over the place. Indeed, the museum claims to have the world’s biggest collection of teddy bears. There are doll’s houses galore too.
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Tinguely Fountain
Just south of Barfüsserplatz is the zany Tinguely Fountain, with all sorts of wacky machines spewing and shooting forth water. It is a foretaste of the madcap moving sculptures in the Museum Jean Tinguely.
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Münster
The 13th-century Münster is a mix of Gothic exteriors and Romanesque interiors and was largely rebuilt after an earthquake in 1356. The tomb of the Renaissance humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466–1536), who lived in Basel, lies in the cathedral’s northern aisle. In the crypt are remnants of the cathedral’s 9th-century predecessor. You can climb the soaring Gothic towers (Sfr3) in groups of two or more. The two chunky, red-stone, late-Gothic cloisters, mostly from the 15th century but with Romanesque vestiges, are linked by a broad hall, whose timber ceiling was once richly decorated.
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Vitra Design Museum
Pop across the German border to the Vitra Design Museum. Not only is the main museum building by the Guggenheim’s creator, Frank Gehry, the surrounding factory complex of famous furniture manufacturer Vitra comprises buildings by other cutting-edge architects, such as Tadao Ando, Zaha Hadid and Álvaro Siza. Exhibitions cover all aspects of interior design. Catch bus 55 from Claraplatz in Kleinbasel (30 minutes) to the Vitra stop. Border checks are theoretically possible, so take your passport.
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Historisches Museum Basel
One of the most wide-ranging sight in the city, the collections of the Historisches Museum Basel include pre-Christian-era archaeological finds, a collection of religious objects from the cathedral and plenty of material documenting the city’s development. It is housed in the former Barfüsserkirche (the Barefooted Ones Church, after the barefoot Franciscan friars who founded it in the 14th century). Highlights include the fine 16th-century choir stall and 15th-century tapestries.
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Museum Jean Tinguely
Built by leading Ticino architect Mario Botta, the Museum Jean Tinguely resonates with playful mischievousness. Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to touch most of Tinguely’s ‘kinetic’ sculptures, which would rattle, shake or twirl if you did, but with springs, feathers and wheels radiating at every angle, they look appealingly like the work of a mad scientist. Catch bus 31 from Claraplatz.
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Fondation Beyeler
In the Fondation Beyeler, sculptures by Miró and Max Ernst are juxtaposed against tribal figures from Oceania, while 19th- and 20th-century works from the likes of Picasso and Rothko hang on the walls of this long, low, light-filled, open-plan building by leading Italian architect Renzo Piano. Take tram 6 to Riehen from Barfüsserplatz or Marktplatz.
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Schaulager
A kind of art bunker, Schaulager was designed by Herzog & de Meuron. The sharply cornered, mostly white gallery is partly rendered in earth dug out from around the foundations. A huge video screen on the front facade gives you a foretaste of the rolling temporary exhibitions inside. Catch tram 11 from Barfüsserplatz or Marktplatz.
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FC Basel
FC Basel, the leaders of the Swiss football league, play at St Jakob Park, some 2km east of the main train station. The stadium, by Herzog & de Meuron, is the prototype of their mega-famous Munich creation. Its translucent skin looks best when lit up, which only happens during games, every week or so. Take tram No 14 to get there.
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Papiermuseum
Papiermuseum is set astride a medieval canal and complete with functioning waterwheel, it evokes centuries past, in which a dozen mills operated here. This one produced paper for centuries and its museum explores that story. Just to the east stands a stretch of the old city wall.
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Bank for International Settlements
Ticino architect Mario Botta is worth checking out; see his Tinguely Museum and the grey-striped offices of the Bank for International Settlements - incidentally, this was the bank most seriously implicated in the 1990s Holocaust scandal.
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Galerie Beyeler
The original Galerie Beyeler is worth dropping in to. You never know what you might find in their temporary exhibitions. Take a look at their website to see the impressive roll-call of artists handled by the Beyelers.
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Antikenmuseum Basel
The Antikenmuseum Basel contains the country’s most impressive collection of ancient artefacts, largely running from Egyptian to Roman times.
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Haus zum Kirschgarten
The star item of the Haus zum Kirschgarten is a collection of fine Meissen porcelain.
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Kutschenmuseum
The Kutschenmuseum houses 19th- and 20th- century carriages, sleighs and dog carts.
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Musikmuseum
The Musikmuseum contains a broad collection of instruments.
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Rathaus
The vivid red Rathaus, built in the 16th century has since been restored.
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Museum für Gegenwartskunst
A contemporary collection.
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