4 Best Sights in Basel, Switzerland

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.

This museum showcases original and re-created pharmacy counters, all kinds of beakers and flacons, and old remedies—from preserved crocodiles to mummy paste. Though labels are in German, audio guides are available in English, as well as several other languages. All kinds of herbs and teas can be purchased at the lovely shop. The museum is housed in Zum Vorderen Sessel, a home once frequented by Paracelsus.