Basel Historical Museum - Barfuesserkirche
- Visit: 2–3 hours
- Ideal for kids, teens
Erwachsene CHF 18
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Why go
- Basel Cathedral’s treasury.
- Fragments of Basel’s Dance of Death.
- The Amerbach and Faesch cabinets of curiosities, with works collected in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Plan your visit
Prices
From the venue's website · checked 22 Oct 2026
Opening hours
TodayClosedShow all
Don't miss
- Roger Federer’s tennis racket and ballBoth are displayed at the entrance.At the entrance.
- Objects from Erasmus of Rotterdam’s legacyThe collection includes posthumous works by Erasmus of Rotterdam.In the museum.
- Coin cabinet and stained glassThe museum has a coin cabinet and stained glass.In the museum.
Know before you go
- One ticket gives access to the Barfüsserkirche, Haus zum Kirschgarten and Music Museum.
- The ticket remains valid for seven days if you visit the museums over several days.
What's inside
- An exhibition explores archaeology in Basel.
- Medieval religious art from the 11th to the 16th century, including altars and sculptures.
- A permanent exhibition covers Basel’s guilds and societies.
- Historic crafts and everyday objects, particularly from the late Middle Ages through the Baroque period.
- Temporary exhibitions connect the collections with current social issues.
With kids
- School visits: School programmes can be adapted to the group’s age, level and lesson plan.
- School visits: School classes can visit without booking a guided tour.
Interesting facts3
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6,200 square
The museum’s display area covers 6,200 square metres.
Basel Historical Museum - Wikipedia -
1975
A brick-walled burial chamber discovered before the choir in 1975 contained Anna Catharina Bischoff’s mummified remains.
Basel Historical Museum - Wikipedia -
1856
The institution grew from a medieval collection established in 1856, with roots in the Amerbach family’s 16th-century art cabinet.
Historisches Museum Basel - Wikipedia
Shorts
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Basel Historical Museum – Journey Through Time #Everyday Explorer
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Basel Historical Museum, Barfüsserkirche, SwitzerlandNore Films
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Discover the Historical Museum Basel at BarfüsserplatzSwitzerland for you
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The Historical Museum Basel#Everyday Explorer
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Workshop at Basel Historical Museum in SwitzerlandMuseum Hack
History
In 1888, Basel offered the church as the site for the planned Swiss National Museum, but Zurich won the bid.
- 1231–1256The Franciscans settled in Basel in 1231, received land beside the city wall in 1250 and had built a monastery and church by 1256.
- 1275–1309The first church was demolished and replaced farther north by an 80-metre-long church on a two-metre gravel mound, with remains of the earlier building beneath it.
- 1529After the Reformation, the monastery passed to the city. Protestant worship continued until 1794.
- 1795–1815The church was used as a warehouse from 1795 and as a salt store from 1799 to 1815. About 300 tonnes of salt seeped into the floor.
- 1890–1894The church was converted to house Basel’s Historical Museum, which opened there in 1894.
Show all
- 1975–1981After salt damage became severe by 1964, restoration removed the side galleries and added basement exhibition space.
How to get there
- TramTake tram 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 15, 16 or 17 to Barfüsserplatz.
- TramTake tram 10 to Theater.
- On footThe museum is at Barfüsserplatz 7, 4051 Basel, in the Old Town.
Sources: Basel Historical Museum - Wikipedia · Barfüsserkirche - HMB · Barfüsserkirche - HMB · Your visit - HMB · Historisches Museum Basel - Wikipedia · Musée historique de Bâle - Wikipedia · Museo storico di Basilea - Wikipedia · Basel Historical Museum - Barfuesserkirche: pri… · Schulen - HMB · Families - HMB · checked 1 Oct 2026
- Website
- barfuesserkirche.ch/
- Phone
- +41 61 205 86 00
Questions and answers
How much is admission to Basel Historical Museum – Barfüsserkirche?
Adult admission is 18 CHF.
When is Basel Historical Museum – Barfüsserkirche open?
Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00–17:00; closed Monday.
How can I contact Basel Historical Museum – Barfüsserkirche?
Call +41 61 205 86 00.
Which museums does a ticket to Basel Historical Museum – Barfüsserkirche cover?
It gives access to the Barfüsserkirche, Haus zum Kirschgarten and Music Museum, and remains valid for seven days when visiting over several days.
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