Bernisches Historisches Museum

The Bernisches Historisches Museum is one of Switzerland’s most important museums of cultural history. Stories of local and global relevance invite reflection, emotion and interaction.

Opening hours

closed

Opens Wednesday at 10:00

Useful information

City of Bern
Museums and galleries
Museum Card
Kultur-GA
KulturLegi
Swiss Travel Pass

The photograph shows the imposing inner courtyard of the Bernisches Historisches Museum with its architectural contrast: on the left, the modern glass façade of the cube extension reflects the historical parts of the building with their pointed towers and light-coloured façades, creating a fascinating interplay of old and new. The geometric austerity of the concrete and glass creates an exciting dialogue with the playful silhouette of the old buildings.

Cultural-historical, pre-historical or ethnographic topics

Excavations from the Stone Age, archaeological discoveries and the Bernese silver treasure: the Bernisches Historisches Museum is a growing repository of knowledge and experience on the culture and history of Bern – and the world. Its collections in history, archaeology and ethnography comprise half a million objects. They offer insights into ways of life from different historical eras and cultural contexts.

The Bernisches Historisches Museum is part of the Museum Quarter – a network of eleven cultural institutions proud to be part of this vibrant community. Here, culture, history, science, art and innovation come together and inspire with a vibrant interplay of impressions and emotions.

Forgotten by Fortune – Compulsory Welfare Measures in Bern and Switzerland

Two women look at an impressive wall installation reminiscent of a starry night sky - thousands of glowing dots and handwritten names on a dark background. The atmosphere is calm, thoughtful and marvelling.

Until the 1970s, tens of thousands of children, adolescents and adults in Switzerland were affected by Compulsory Welfare Measures in Bern and Switzerland: placed in foster care, indentured, incapacitated or institutionalised. Many came from difficult social and economic backgrounds. Their poverty or lifestyles that deviated from bourgeois norms were seen as justification for far-reaching interventions and repressive measures. In recent years, more and more affected individuals have begun to speak out. The injustice they suffered is now officially recognised. Several cantons have launched initiatives to anchor this injustice in the collective memory and to encourage public reflection.

To the exhibition