Sight guide · Zurich · Switzerland
Visiting Swiss National Museum
Housed in a turreted 1898 building beside the main station with a modern wing added in 2016, the Landesmuseum tells Swiss history from prehistoric times through the Middle Ages and the Reformation to the present, with period rooms, armour, furniture and well-designed temporary exhibitions.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Matt Joseph, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Swiss National Museum is a museum in Main station, Zurich. Allow 2 hours; it is mid-priced. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Museum
- Area
- Main station
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- history, rainy day, architecture and kids
- Best months
- May–July
About Swiss National Museum
Housed in a turreted 1898 building beside the main station with a modern wing added in 2016, the Landesmuseum tells Swiss history from prehistoric times through the Middle Ages and the Reformation to the present, with period rooms, armour, furniture and well-designed temporary exhibitions.
Tip: It is right behind the main station, so it fills an hour before or after a train.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 2 hours.
- Cost: Mid-priced.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Main station.
Best time to visit Swiss National Museum
Swiss National Museum is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:
- May: 18°C (64°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- June: 22°C (72°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, busy crowds.
- July: 24°C (75°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, busy crowds.
When to visit Zurich has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Zurich itinerary visits Swiss National Museum on day 3, together with Lake Zurich cruise and Kunsthaus Zürich.
- No. 8 of the 18 sights in our Zurich things-to-do list.
- One of the picks in museums in Zurich.
- One of the picks in zurich on a rainy day.
- One of the picks in historic sites in Zurich.
- A family favourite in Zurich with kids.
If you like Swiss National Museum
- Grossmünster — Niederdorf, 45 minutes
- Fraumünster — City and Lindenhof, 30 minutes
- Kunsthaus Zürich — Heimplatz, 2–3 hours
- Zurich Zoo — Fluntern, Half a day
Staying near Swiss National Museum
Where to stay in Zurich compares every area by price and who it suits.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Swiss National Museum?
Plan 2 hours.
+Is Swiss National Museum free?
No, it is mid-priced. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Swiss National Museum?
May–July, the wettest months, when an indoor sight is most welcome. It is right behind the main station, so it fills an hour before or after a train.
+Do I need to book Swiss National Museum in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Swiss National Museum good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in Zurich. Zurich is clean, safe-feeling and well organised for families, with trams that take pushchairs, lakeside playgrounds, shallow areas at the lake baths and hands-on museums.