BEST MUSEUM IN BASEL FOR KIDS!

Luckily, Basel’s, as well as Switzerland’s, amazing museums opened on March 1st after being closed since the beginning of January. Since then, we have been visiting museums on Wednesday’s after the girls get out of school at noon. And, we think that we came across the BEST MUSEUM IN BASEL FOR KIDS this past week!

The Basler Papiermühle, or the Basel Paper Mill Museum, is located in a medieval mill with a functional waterwheel. In 1453, Antonio Galician founded the paper mill. It changed hands throughout the years but was active until 1924. In 1980, the building was restored and turned into a museum. The museum has four floors, and each floor is based around a function beginning with paper and ending with books.

When you walk into the museum, the paper making process begins! The kids were so excited to see people demonstrating this process. In keeping with historic tradition, the paper is made with rags which are ground before being put into giant vats. After a few minutes of watching, it was time for the kids to make paper. They were able to dip the screened mould into the vat of stock. Once pulled out of the water, the screen allowed the mould to drain of liquid, and it was then pressed and dried. The girls were completely fascinated by the process.

As we continued through each floor, the hands-on activities were incredible. In addition to making paper, we were able to write with a goose quill, have a letter sealed with a wax stamp of our choosing, print on a paper using the old rolling and press machines, and marble paper with a choice of three colors. I have truly never experienced a more fun, educational, and hands-on museum.

Along with the activities and exhibits, all of the employees were extremely nice. They all enjoyed teaching us about the process. Covid precautions were handled well, and it was just an amazing experience overall! The girls continued to ask if we could come back to this museum again soon, and I would call that a win!

After leaving the museum, we took a stroll along the Rhine river and checked out the St. Alban area. This area is one of the historic areas of Basel, and it feels like you are stepping back in time. St. Alban-Tor (or St. Alban’s gate) dating back to 1400 is still standing, and it is truly remarkable. I think this may be one of my favorite areas of Basel!

If you are coming to Basel or somewhere close, I would definitely add this amazing museum to your to do list! Where is your favorite museum? Thank you so much for wandering along with us!