Antikenmuseum Basel and Sammlung Ludwig

In 1961, the city of Basel made the decision to establish the Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig to consolidate various collections of antiquities into a single, centralized location.

Following a multi-year renovation of the historic buildings, the museum was officially inaugurated and opened to the public in 1966. At the time of its opening, the institution provided approximately 650 square meters of exhibition space.

The museum expanded its footprint in 1986 by incorporating the building originally constructed for the Bachofen family. Prior to this acquisition, that space had been utilized by the city's Civil Register.

Through successive expansions and renovations, the museum grew significantly from its initial 650 square meters of exhibition space to a total of 3000 square meters by 1992.

The institution is officially recognized as a heritage site of national significance within the Swiss inventory of cultural property, a status formalizing its historical and cultural importance to Switzerland.

The museum is housed in several adjacent historical buildings, most notably two structures designed by the architect Melchior Berri in the early 19th century. These were originally commissioned for prominent local figures, specifically Johann Jakob Bachofen-Merian and the merchant Isaac Iselin-Roulet.