Ten Amazing Museums for Kids in Switzerland

Did you know that there are over 1,000 museums in Switzerland? Who would have thought that a country this small would have such a truly large museum presence? We have had the pleasure of visiting a lot of them – a lot of times – and our kids absolutely love the museums. There really is nothing better than watching your children learn while having fun (theoretically of course). So, here is our list of ten amazing museums for kids in Switzerland!

If you didn’t know, Switzerland offers a Swiss Museum Pass which allows for free or discounted entry into many of the museums! We have had this pass for the past two years, and it has been a great way to explore.

Ten Amazing Museums for Kids in Switzerland:

1. Papermühle in Basel – The Basler Papermühle, 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.

At this museum, you can actually make paper! To start, each person dips the screened mould into the vat of stock. Once pulled out of the water, the screen allows the mould to drain of liquid, and it is then pressed and dried. The girls were completely fascinated by the process. The museum costs 18 CHF for adults and 9 CHF for kids under 16.

2. Natural History Museum in Bern – The Naturhistorisches Museum, or Natural History Museum, was founded in 1832 in Bern. The girls’ favorite exhibit was definitely the exhibit about Barry, who is the famous rescue dog! They also enjoyed the touch and feel section of fur, teeth and claws. The museum costs 12 CHF for adults and free for kids under 16.

3. Olympic Museum in Lausanne – Are you a fan of the Olympics? Well, this museum has three floors filled with historical information, interactive exhibits, and a great shop! Admission is 20 CHF per adult and free for children under 15. One of my favorite parts included seeing the medals from every single Olympics, and the girls loved seeing all of the different mascots. We really enjoyed our time at the museum!

4. Glasi Museum in Hergiswil – Glasi Hergiswil is the only glass works in Switzerland, and it has been creating glass pieces since 1817. To start your experience, head straight for the museum. Entry costs 7 CHF per adult and kids are free. The museum was very interesting and included all kinds of neat effects.

Once you are done with the museum tour, you are taken to the observation platform of the factory. The girls absolutely loved watching the glass being blown. Afterwards, we enjoyed the glass labyrinth, which costs 5 CHF for anyone over 10. In order to complete the maze, you are given white gloves and slippers to feel your way through the glass panels. There are also two shops to buy the beautiful glass pieces, a cafe right on the lake and a fun playground.

5. FIFA Museum in Zurich – If you are a fan of football (is it called soccer?), make sure to head to the FIFA Museum in Zurich! All four of us absolutely loved this museum, and we could have spent the entire day enjoying the exhibits. There were so many hands on exhibits including announcing the game, playing Nintendo, Sega, Playstation (I think Gregg had a nerd freakout) and practicing football! As far as pricing, adults are 24 CHF and kids from 7 to 15 are 14 CHF.

6. Castle museums – Switzerland is home to over 500 castles, and we absolutely love exploring as many as possible. Fortunately, many of these castles include a museum. The picture above is from Thun castle. Any of the castle museums help you to understand the history around the region.

7. Tram Museum in Zurich – The Tram Museum in Zurich is a great place to explore trams through the years dating back to 1897. Many of the trams displayed are open to play on, and you can even go underneath a tram to check out the under carriage. In addition to the fun in the museum, you can hop on the the oldest tram car to take you into the city center, which was my favorite part of the day. Admission is 12 CHF per adult and 6 CHF per child between 6 and 16.

8. Sauriermuseum in Aathal – If your children are intrigued by dinosaurs, make sure to check out the Sauriermuseum, or Dinosaur museum! The girls were mesmerized by all of the fossils, dinosaur information and the playground. We spent about 1.5 hours at the museum, and most of the fossils found in the exhibitions came from a dig site in Wyoming from 1999-2015. Admission is 21 CHF per adult and 11 CHF per child between 5 and 16.

9. WOW Museum Zurich – This museum is filled with rooms of illusions and different perspectives. The girls and I absolutely loved this experience. The prices did seem a little steep though as we paid 55 CHF for 2 kids (16 CHF each) & 1 adult (23 CHF), but what is not expensive in Switzerland?

10. Swiss Museum of Transport in Luzern – The Swiss Museum of Transport is the most visited museum in Switzerland! Construction began on this museum in 1957, and the museum opened in 1959. The museum is broken down into several themes including space, aviation, automotive and rail. There is also an open play area in the middle. The girls loved riding the cars in the traffic garden, sliding down the slide and enjoying the Swiss Chocolate Adventure. There are so many interactive visits to keep the children happy for hours on end! Admission to the museum does run steep at 35 CHF per adult and 15 CHF per child (between 6 and 16). The Swiss Chocolate Adventure is an additional price as well.

All of these museums are extremely kid-friendly. Whether you would like to avoid the bad weather or just need a day inside, a museum is the perfect place to spend the day. We hope this museum list helps you visit the most kid-friendly museums in Switzerland!