Basel Historical Museum – Barfüsserkirche

Basel
Switzerland
Glaubenswelten des Mittelalters. © Historisches Museum Basel, Foto: Natascha Jansen
Glaubenswelten des Mittelalters. © Historisches Museum Basel, Foto: Natascha Jansen
Glaubenswelten des Mittelalters. © Historisches Museum Basel, Foto: Natascha Jansen
History and tradition
The Basel Historical Museum with its three sites is widely regarded as the most important museum of cultural history on the Upper Rhine. It collects, conserves, records and researches objects and artefacts of relevance to our cultural heritage for future generations, tells visitors the story of Basel, and is a place for discourse and engagement with both present and future.
The Basel Historical Museum, housed in the Barfüsserkirche since 1894, shows selected aspects of the history of Basel from prehistoric times to the present. The focus of the exhibits from the pre-Reformation period is on sacred works of art such as the Basel Dance of Death and Basel Cathedral Treasury. The exhibition in the basement, headed “Understanding the World”, comprises a magnificent array of medieval tapestries with their fantasy worlds and scenes of real life, the Renaissance and Baroque collections, now grouped together in one “Great Cabinet of Curiosities”, and Basel’s rich archaeological heritage. Among the other highlights are the coin cabinet and the Burgundian Booty.

47.554526, 7.589333

Address

Basel Historical Museum – Barfüsserkirche

Barfüsserplatz 7
4051
Basel
Switzerland
Opening hours
Open all year from
Tuesday - Sunday: 10:00-17:00

Closed on
Contact and additional information
+41 61 205 86 00

Currently and upcoming

BK_Schatzfunde
Event

Celtic gold jewelry, stolen loot dumped in the Rhine or one of the largest Roman silver treasures in Europe. The tour leads you through the special exhibition on the trail of the 25 most spectacular ...

BK_Schatzfunde
Event

Together with their adult companions, the children uncover secrets about treasures from the Basel region. They are supported by the museum's education team, who playfully impart knowledge and ...

HMB
Event

The whimsical and wonderful world of Renaissance reed instruments. From Michael Praetorius' "Theatrum Instrumentorum" brought to life with Pommern, Bassanelli, Dulzianen, Douçainen, Ranketten and ...

Schatzfunde Poster
Event

Bijoux celtiques en or, butin de voleur englouti dans le Rhin ou l'un des plus grands trésors d'argenterie romains d'Europe. The circuit takes you on the trail of 25 of the most spectacular treasures ...

Basler Totentanz in BK
Event

The Basel Dance of Death was famous throughout Europe and had to be seen to be believed - this is still true today. Language: German Free admission

Schatzfunde
Event

A treasure for science - the production, use and restoration of Celtic pottery vessels, showing finds from a spectacular new discovery and explaining the research methods. With Johannes Wimmer ...

Schatzfunde
Event

The tour takes you through the special exhibition on the trail of the 25 most spectacular treasure finds from the Basel region. Language: English Admission to the exhibition

Innenansicht der Barfüsserkirche
Event

As an extra treat, we invite you to an introduction to an exciting piece of Basel history in the Barfüsserkirche on the second Friday of every month.

BK Schatzfunde
Event

Experts delve into central themes of the exhibition Language: German Admission to the exhibition

BK
Event

One of the worst-kept secrets of Elizabethan England was the unlawful Catholic faith of the composer of the Chapel Royal, William Byrd. Under Protestant rule, Byrd almost literally played with fire ...

BK
Event

Over a length of six meters, a textile masterpiece tells stories of hopeful and disappointed love. The HMB invites you to talk about the creation, materiality and conservation of the late Gothic ...

Schatzfunde BK
Event

A tour for young and old. The children solve puzzles and follow in the footsteps of treasures from the Basel region, while the adults enjoy a guided tour among their peers. Suitable for children from ...

BK
Event

Lute, voices and viols: with these instruments, John Dowland (ca. 1563-1626) created a musical world like no other Englishman of his time. Known above all for his melancholy songs, Dowland's lute ...

BK
Event

Experts delve into central themes of the exhibition Language: German Admission to the exhibition

BK
Event

Experts delve into central themes of the exhibition Language: German Admission to the exhibition

BK
Event

How is it that almost 60 kilograms of pure silver were left lying in mud and snow for over two months? Is the Roman treasure even complete? Experts uncover the background to one of the largest silver ...

BK
Event

Experts delve deeper into central themes of the exhibition. Language: German

BK
Event

Oswald von Wolkenstein - politician, knight, world traveler and at the same time poet, musician and legendary figure: his songs tell of adventures on journeys throughout Europe, to the Council in ...

BK
Event

Experts delve deeper into central themes of the exhibition. Language: German

BK
Event

The latest craze in Italy is a new instrument: the viola d'arco! It is a versatile instrument that can imitate any voice from low to high. For all enthusiastic newcomers, here is a book that explains ...

BK
Event

Sunday of action in the Barfüsserkirche. Languages: German, English, French Free admission

BK
Event

Experts delve deeper into central themes of the exhibition. Language: German

BK
Event

As early as the 15th century, it was customary at the Burgundian court to play originally sung chansons on the recorder. With his collection "27 Chansons musicales à quatre parties", the music printer ...

BK
Event

As early as the 15th century, it was customary at the Burgundian court to play originally sung chansons on the recorder. With his collection "27 Chansons musicales à quatre parties", the music printer ...

BK
Event

Unusual musical forms and creative scope are the focus of this concert program. Quodlibet can be translated as "as it pleases". To this day, it is understood to mean a musical composition that ...

BK
Event

Thomas Stoltzer (ca. 1480-1526) was a celebrated composer in his time, who can be found in 30 printed publications. His Latin and German psalm settings were his best-known works. With their themes of ...

BK
Event

Around 1600, the Portuguese Gaspar Fernandes and the Spaniard Pedro Bermúdez worked as organists and bandmaster at Guatemala Cathedral. Fernandes had the task of collecting, organizing and ...

Medieval Worlds of Faith
Exhibition
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Showcased here will be medieval works of art from churches in Switzerland and on the Upper Rhine. The impressive sculptures attesting to the veneration of saints are a reminder of how society was ...

Zeitsprünge – Basler Geschichte in Kürze
Exhibition
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Around 200,000 people from 200 nations live in Basel. The city forms the centre of a large tri-national region with a long history. The ‘Zeitsprünge’ exhibition offers highlights of the events and ...

Schatzfunde
Exhibition
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With its new special exhibition ‘Treasure Hoards’, the Basel Historical Museum traces the 25 most spectacular treasure hoards ever found in the Basel region.

Barfüsserkirche
Exhibition
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The atomic energy debate has been ongoing since the 1960s. The arguments are numerous and the implications are momentous. The exhibition illustrates the complex interrelationships in a playful way and ...