Lake, sun and museums in Neuchâtel

By linking science, society and art, unusual and sometimes surprising exhibitions are created that are always rich in knowledge and emotion. In the completely renovated, historic building, everything revolves around native animals, exotic creatures and geological finds.

An offbeat look at our world

The sometimes curious exhibitions of the Ethnographic Museum Neuchâtel take you on a journey between the «Here» and the «Elsewhere». As a place of experience, seeing and experiencing, the museum enables its visitors to reflect on and reinterpret the familiar.

The Centre Dürrenmatt Neuchâtel (CDN), built by Mario Botta, is located in the natural Vallon de l'Ermitage, high above Neuchâtel, and houses the collection of Friedrich Dürrenmatt's paintings and drawings. A tour of Dürrenmatt's paintings in dialog with his texts awaits you. Numerous events round off the offer and promise a multifaceted approach to his work and person.

Permanent exhibition: Automates Jaquet-Droz

The three Automates Jaquet-Droz are among the Museum's masterpieces. You can admire them at work during public demonstrations, accessible without reservation, which take place on the first Sunday of each month at 14.00, 15.00 and 16.00 hours, or by reservation.

Where history comes to life – a castle at the entrance to the Val-de-Ruz

Just eight minutes by bus from the center of Neuchâtel, a unique cultural experience awaits you in the middle of nature: Valangin Castle, which is over 800 years old, is one of the few medieval buildings in the region that is open to the public. Today it houses a history museum. In addition to the rich and varied permanent exhibition, there is also an annually changing special exhibition. The «Valanjardin» park with its nine didactic gardens and the poetic garden “Mangelune” with its fantastic sculptures will delight lovers of green spaces. Ideal for families, history buffs and the curious!

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition in the castle

A journey into the past through rooms that were once inhabited by nobles, judges and prisoners. Here you will find carefully preserved furniture, traces of everyday life and a unique collection of bobbin lace from Neuchâtel and around the world.

La Tour du Fantastique, which is now dedicated to presenting and making accessible the works and creations of the world’s most talented artists to as wide an audience as possible, will host a major exhibition each year dedicated to an artist, a collective, or a studio. The program will be complemented by meet-and-greets, lectures, book signings, workshops, and masterclasses featuring numerous artists throughout the year. Fantasy has indeed established itself as a major genre appreciated by all generations and across all continents. It encompasses numerous forms of artistic expression, including literature, painting, film, animation, comics, and video games.

Visitors also have the exciting opportunity to meet John Howe in person and occasionally strike up a conversation with him.

A green oasis right by the city centre

Neuchâtel Botanical Garden, which offers visitors relaxation and exciting discoveries. Numerous permanent and temporary exhibitions, botanical collections and various biotopes allow you to discover the fascinating life of plants. A green treasure trove that will inspire you.

The Botanical Garden is open to visitors all year round. Its colorful, varied fauna and flora never cease to amaze young and old alike.

The park is home to five themed gardens and two greenhouses. In the villa at the heart of the garden, you can visit a special exhibition and an info point with valuable information about the park. Take the opportunity to visit the Dürrenmatt Centre Neuchâtel, which is located right next to the botanical garden.

Free entry. Open daily.

Find out in advance about the exact opening hours of the individual museums.