8 Best Sights in Basel, Switzerland

In a beautifully restored medieval mill with a still functioning waterwheel, this museum honoring paper, writing, and printing is wonderfully accessible. The museum is entirely hands-on, and visitors leave with paper they have made and wax seals they have pressed, as well as various writing and printing samples. In addition there is a wonderful permanent collection, from ancient scrolls to 20th-century newspaper-printing presses. Exhibits are in German, French, and English.

As you circle the innovative and quirky installations at Museum Tinguely, you may have a few questions. How do they work? What do they mean? And where did the artist find this stuff? Born in Fribourg, 20th-century master Jean Tinguely is best known for his whimsical métamécaniques (mechanical sculptures), which transform machinery, appliances, and items straight from the junk heap into ironic and often macabre statements. For instance, Le Ballet des Pauvres, from 1961, suspends a hinged leg with a moth-eaten sock, a horse tail and a fox pelt, a cafeteria tray, and a blood-soaked nightgown, all of which dangle and dance on command. The wing of the museum projecting over the Rhine has a splendid river view of Basel. Many of the sculptures are activated at preset times, typically every 5 to 15 minutes, and it pays to wait and see them in action. Admission to temporary exhibitions is included in the entrance fee. Information sheets are available in English.

Basel's Roman history can seen in nearby Augst. Founded in 44–43 BC, Augst is the oldest Roman settlement on the Rhine, and today has been largely reconstructed as a noted museum of ancient Roman antiquities. Roman daily life is vividly depicted in this carefully rebuilt home. Everything, from the thermal baths to the ancient board games in the sitting rooms, has been completely re-created. The museum also exhibits the largest trove of Roman silver known to exist, which was unearthed in 1962. The objects, dating mostly from the 4th century, are believed to have been buried by the Romans in 350 to protect them from the ravages of the Alemanni, the German tribes who drove the Romans out of Switzerland. The site is reachable by car from Basel in 15 minutes or in summer via a leisurely boat trip up the river. From the Bahnhof SBB, take train S1 to Kaiseraugst, or Bus 81 from Basel-Aeschenplatz to Augst; thereafter it takes approximately 10 minutes from either of these stops to walk uphill to the Roman Museum. To view the restoration areas scattered around the almost suburban neighborhood, be prepared for a fair bit of walking.

Housed within the 13th-century Barfüsserkirche (Church of the Shoeless Friars), this museum has an extensive collection of Basel's cathedral treasury, wooden sculptures, coins, armor, and other vestiges of the city's past. An underground gallery displays fully reconstructed medieval and Renaissance guild rooms, complete with stained glass, ceramic stoves, and richly carved wood. Upstairs, next to the choir, the Münster Treasury contains priceless reliquaries in gold. Despite its status as one of the finest examples of Franciscan architecture north of the Alps, the church was deconsecrated in the 19th century and turned into a warehouse until it was rescued in 1894 and converted to its present-day use as a museum. General descriptions are in German, French, and English. See the website for information in English about special exhibits.

This ethnographic museum, radically renovated by star architects Herzog & de Meuron, presents a hands-on investigation of what "culture" means. The museum includes more than 340,000 ethnographic artifacts from around the world, as well as around 250,000 historic photographs. Permanent exhibitions, as well as three to five rotating exhibitions on topics such as migration and the sun, moon, and stars, explore the history of Switzerland and its neighbors. Descriptions are available in German, French, and English.

All aspects of the natural sciences—from the history of the earth to extinct mammals to interesting insects—are featured here. Kids will love the saber-toothed tigers, mammoths, and skeletons of several dinosaurs, while adults will enjoy the rotating exhibits investigating the natural world in a state of change. Most descriptive materials are in German only in the permanent collection.

Bordering on the Barfüsserplatz, this museum has several floors filled with 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century toys, including a cast of 2,500 teddy bears. The dollhouses, on a 1:12 scale, are all artistically displayed.

Created by the Swiss artist Jean Tinguely, known for his work in mechanized media, this delightful, animated construction was inaugurated by the city in 1977. Its whimsically styled metal figures busily churn, lash, and spray with unending energy. It is especially impressive in winter when the jets of water freeze, creating unique airborne sculptures.