Basel

The University of Basel founded the Pharmaceutical Museum in the "Zum vorderen Sessel" ("The front seat")... building in 1924 in the not inappropriately named Totengässlein (meaning "dead people's alley"). By the 16th century, it was occupied by the philosopher Erasmus of Rotterdam and later on the alchemist Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim, known as Paracelsus. This museum houses one of the largest pharmaceutical collections in the world and aims to tell the history of pharmaceutics in terms of its scientific, art history and folkloristic aspects. The exhibits range from utensils such as small mortars to ceramic containers through to furniture from historic pharmacies and entire alchemists' laboratories. Old medication - obsolete medicines - mystical amulets, herb books and travelling pharmacies are all displayed. Herbs and fragrant cosmetics are sold inside the Barfüsser pharmacy in the herbarium in the same building. The shop gives an idea of what shopping was like a hundred years ago. more

No less a person than Mario Botta, the star architect from Ticino, designed this striking museum with... its red sandstone surface. Since 1996, it has housed an extensive collection of eccentric works by Jean Tinguely (1925-1991). The artist, who was born in Fribourg and grew up in Basel, is well-known for his moveable, partly even audible or smoking installations which, for the most part, are made of scrap iron. The collection provides a good overview of the creative output of this Swiss artist, who during his lifetime caused a sensation with his "junk art". In the central, glazed hall of the museum there are around 20 huge, impressive machine sculptures, complemented by reliefs, drawings, photographs and posters. Numerous special exhibitions deal with contemporary kinetic art or display works by Tinguely's fellow artists. more

The society Ausstellungsraum Klingental (exhibition space Klingental) on the barrack grounds is committed... to contemporary artists from Basel, its neighboring areas focusing on supporting new talents. Several exhibitions per year take place in the basic rooms. The archaic design derives from the renovation of the star architects Herzo & de Meuron from the year 1981. The Klingental exhibition room is located on the ground floor of the abbey, which was built in the 13th century. The exhibition room was established during the museum crisis of 1960s, while the funding of young artists was being discussed and how rooms for their creativity could be found. A model of how Basel looked like in the 17th century is shown in the same building in the museum “Kleines Klingental”. more