Geneva Travel Guide

Museums & Galleries

MAMCO (Musee d’Art et Contemporain): after years of planning, Geneva’s premier modern art museum was opened in 1994, located in a former factor. There are four floors displaying a large collection of American and European art from the last 40 years or so. There are around 300 items on permanent display, with a significant area used for special exhibitions, of which there are around three each year.

There are many significant artists with work on display here. One of the most interesting displays is L’Appartement, a complete reproduction of a Paris flat, the owner of which has loaned his furniture, paintings and sculptures to the museum.
Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers Open: 12:00 to 18:00, Tuesday to Friday; 11:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday.

There are some quite graphic displays here, making it an emotionally moving experience. The Cafe Dunant provides a multimedia facility giving information on the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement in a way that is both entertaining and interactive.
Avenue de la Paix Open: 10:00 to 17:00, Wednesday to Monday.

Musee Ariana: this Italian renaissance structure, situated west of the Palais des Nations, was built by the Genevese Patron Gustave Revilliod, and today houses the Swiss Museum of Ceramics and Glass.

Musee Barbier-Mueller: Josef Mueller, who was orphaned as a child, had already begun to amass a great art collection when he was barely out of his 20s. His remarkable portfolio includes work by Cezanne, Picasso, Renoir, Braques, and Matisse. However, it is the collection of primitive art and other objects that are a central feature to this museum.

Mueller began collecting these pieces from Africa, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Oceania, the East Indies as well as prehistoric Greece and Italy at the beginning of the 20th century. The collection includes sculpture, shields, and masks among other objects, and only a fraction of it is displayed at any one time.
Rue Jean-Calvin Open: 11:00 to 17:00, daily.

The rooms of the chateau are filled with various items such as paintings and documents highlighting the success of the great and good of Switzerland ranging from military figures, to doctors, explorers, bankers, and of course chocolatiers, including figures like Louis Chevrolet.
Chateau de Penthes. Open: 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday.