Bernisches Historisches Museum – Einstein Museum

The Bernisches Historisches Museum (History Museum of Bern) in Bern is one of the most important Museums of cultural history in Switzerland. Founded in 1889, the museum is housed in a Gothic revival castle with a contemporary-architecture extension added in 2009 after a design by the Swiss architectural office:mlzd.

Above: the museum’s extension, called “Kubus” and opened in 2009; © Bernisches Historisches Museum, Bern. Photo Alexander Gempeler.

The museum is rather peculiar in its concept; it comprises four main sections: one dedicated to the history of the city of Bern from the Middle Ages to the 20^th century, one archaeological section presenting findings coming from the Bern region and dating from the Stone Age onward, one Ethnographic section with artifacts from Asia, Oceania, Orient, and America and finally a section, called Einstein Museum,  dedicated to Albert Einstein, who lived in Bern during the elaboration of the Theory of Relativity. Overall, the collections of the museum include over 500,000 objects.

The Bernisches Historisches Museum regularly hosts temporary exhibitions. The museum complex includes a shop, a restaurant, and a beautiful park with a free picnic area.

A view of the museum with the modern expansion on the right and the historical building, completed in 1894 after a design by Swiss architect André Lambert, on the left; © Bernisches Historisches Museum, Bern. Photo Nadja Frey.

A 1466 “millefleurs” tapestry belonged to Philip the Good Duke of Burgundy; © Bernisches Historisches Museum, Bern. Photo Nadja Frey

An installation view of the exhibition dedicated to Ancient Egypt; © Bernisches Historisches Museum, Bern. Photo Christine Moor.

A view of the permanent exhibition dedicated to Albert Einstein; © Bernisches Historisches Museum, Bern. Photo Christine Moor.

All images courtesy of Bernisches Historisches Museum.