Prangins Castle
Adults CHF 13 · Reduced admission (AHV, IV, RAV, pupils, students) CHF 10
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Why go
- Nearly 200 varieties of fruit, vegetables, herbs and useful plants recall the region’s 18th-century gardens.
- Furniture and hidden panels bring former residents’ stories to life in the interactive Portrait Gallery.
- More than 600 museum objects helped recreate the castle rooms using inventories and Louis François Guiguer’s diary.
- Printed cotton traces Switzerland’s links to global trade and industrialisation from the 17th century onward.
Plan your visit
Prices
From the venue's website · checked 17 Oct 2026
Opening hours
Today10:00 – 17:00Show all
Don't miss
- Hauteville Castle theatre setsDécors displays stage sets made in 1777 for Hauteville Castle’s private theatre.In the castle.
- Painted wallpaperWallpaper from the 1790s depicts scenes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses; it came from a country house in the Bernese Jura.In the castle.
- Swiss myths exhibitionCompare Swiss myths and commonplaces with historical reality, including themes of direct democracy, national identity and social change.In the castle.
- Jacques Necker’s bust and outfitThe Portrait Gallery displays Necker’s bust and outfit. He was Louis XVI’s finance minister when the Estates General opened on 5 May 1789.First-floor Portrait Gallery.
Know before you go
- Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–17:00.
What's inside
- Eight permanent exhibitions explore Swiss cultural and social history.
- The permanent displays span the 18th to the 20th century, including daily life in the castle and surrounding region.
- Temporary exhibitions explore art, history and culture.
Tips for your visit
- Tickets can be bought on the castle’s website.
- In the Portrait Gallery, sit in the armchair or open a drawer or panel to trigger a story.
With kids
- Children and teenagers can choose characters and role-play journeys across Switzerland using authentic objects from three centuries.
Interesting facts5
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1723
Louis Guiguer paid 142,000 livres tournois for the estate in 1723.
Schloss Prangins - Wikipedia -
1771
Louis-François Guiguer kept a seven-volume journal of regional daily life for fifteen years from 1771.
Château de Prangins - Wikipedia -
The medieval lordship stretched from Mont-le-Vieux to the Pays de Gex.
Schloss Prangins - Wikipedia -
The castle briefly became a centre of conspiracy for French supporters of Napoleon.
Castello di Prangins - Wikipedia -
Young Charles-Jules Guiguer was the last Baron Guiguer of Prangins.
Portrait Gallery - Château de Prangins
Shorts
History
The site held a medieval castle before Louis Guiguer commissioned the present building. After the estate passed to the Confederation, the National Museum took possession in January 1997 and opened the museum in June 1998.
- 1096The first recorded mention of the domain dates to 1096.
- Bronze AgeThe hilltop site was occupied in the Bronze Age and later had a Roman structure, possibly a mausoleum.
- Middle AgesA medieval castle stood here as the centre of a lordship.
- 1293The Dukes of Savoy destroyed the earlier building on the site.
- 1536Bern captured the region and burned the old castle.
Show all
- 1723Louis Guiguer acquired the estate and commissioned the present castle.
- 1754–1755Jean-Georges Guiguer offered the castle as a refuge to Voltaire in winter.
- 1814–1827Joseph Bonaparte bought the castle in 1814 and owned it until 1827.
- 1873–1920The Moravian Institute ran a boys’ boarding school in the castle.
- 1974Vaud and Geneva acquired the estate on 19 July; they gave it to the Confederation the following year.
- 1990–1996Restoration work began in 1990 and lasted six years.
- January 1997The National Museum took possession of the castle to install its collections.
- June 1998The museum opened at the castle.
Photo spots
- Portrait GalleryPortraits hang opposite fantastical black furniture in the gallery.Large corridor on the first floor.
- TerraceLake Geneva and the Alps are visible from the terrace.Castle terrace.
Sources: Prangins Castle - Wikipedia · Nyon - Wikivoyage (see) · Château de Prangins - Château de Prangins · Château de Prangins - Château de Prangins · Château de Prangins - Musée national suisse - C… · Schloss Prangins - Wikipedia · Château de Prangins - Wikipedia · Castello di Prangins - Wikipedia · Prangins Castle: tickets, prices, visitor infor… · Portrait Gallery - Château de Prangins · Portrait Gallery - Château de Prangins · checked 13 Oct 2026
- Website
- chateaudeprangins.ch/
- Phone
- +41 22 994 88 90
Questions and answers
How much does Prangins Castle cost?
Adult admission is CHF 13. Reduced admission is CHF 10 for AHV, IV, RAV, pupils and students.
How do I get to Prangins Castle from Nyon?
Take bus 805 or 817 from central Nyon to Prangins village, or walk about 30 minutes.
What is the address of Prangins Castle?
Avenue du Général Guiguer 3, 1197 Prangins.
Is there somewhere to eat at Prangins Castle?
The café serves drinks, snacks and lunch.
How can I contact Prangins Castle?
Call +41 22 994 88 90.
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