Einstein Museum and the Historical Museum of Bern

Museum in Bern

Historisches Museum
CC BY-SA 3.0 / Marianabeauty

The Bern Historical Museum (German: Bernisches Historisches Museum, French: Musée d’Histoire de Berne) is Switzerland’s second-largest historical museum. Designed by Neuchâtel architect André Lambert and constructed in 1894, the museum’s architecture was inspired by 15th and 16th-century historic castles, initially intended to be the Swiss National Museum, which was later established in Zurich. The museum was expanded in 2009 with a modern extension.

The museum’s extensive collections span the history of Bern from prehistoric times to the present, featuring artifacts from Asia, Oceania, America, and Egypt. Notable items include significant tapestries and spoils from the camp of Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy, seized after his defeat and death at the Battle of Nancy in 1477.

Among the most remarkable pieces are the Muri statuette group, consisting of six Gallo-Roman bronze figurines, and the Moringen arrowhead, identified in 2023 as being of meteoric origin despite being in the collection for over a century.

Designated as a heritage site of national significance, the museum features a glass mosaic titled “The Age of History” above its entrance. Created in 1900 by Swiss painter Léo-Paul Robert, the mosaic depicts the figures of Poetry and History.

Einstein Museum

Initially a temporary exhibition in 2005, the Einstein Museum has since become a permanent museum dedicated to the life and work of Albert Einstein, who developed his Theory of Relativity while living in Bern. Additionally, visitors can tour the Einsteinhaus, the house where Einstein lived during this period, which is located elsewhere in the city and requires a separate entry fee.

The Einstein Museum and the Historical Museum of Bern appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Bern!

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Visiting Einstein Museum and the Historical Museum of Bern

Hours:

Tuesday–Sunday 10 am – 5 pm

Monday closed


Price:

CHF 16

Address: Bernisches Historisches Museum / Einstein Museum, Helvetiaplatz, Bern, Switzerland
Duration: 20 minutes
Official Website

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