Basel · Music history

Guide to Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum

Discover five centuries of European music inside a historic Basel prison.

MusicHistoryArchitectureLocal heritage

Explore five centuries of European music history within the unique setting of a converted historic prison. See over 500 historic instruments displayed inside former cells, representing both regional Basel traditions and broader European musical heritage.

Located in the historic Lohnhof complex, this museum showcases Switzerland's largest collection of musical instruments, spanning five centuries of European history.

Exploring the Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum

Housed in a former medieval prison in Basel, the Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum showcases Switzerland's largest collection of musical instruments. Spanning five centuries of music history, the exhibition features 550 European instruments displayed across 24 historic cells. Visitors can explore this rich sonic heritage while discovering the unique architecture of the historic Lohnhof complex.

White building facade with a red arched entrance labeled 'Lohnhof', green window shutters, and a black lamppost framed by trees.

Visitor amenities and accessibility

The Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum provides various facilities to support visitor comfort, including cloakroom services and lift access across most floors. While the building is equipped with accessible toilets and nearby parking for guests with disabilities, the historic nature of the premises means that full wheelchair accessibility is limited in certain areas. On-site staff can provide further guidance on navigating the building, including the use of specialized equipment to reach specific exhibition spaces.

Parking spaces for people with disabilities

Available

Wheelchair-accessible WC

Available

Lift to levels

Available

Special wheelchair

Limited

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Family visits at the Musikmuseum

The Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum offers interactive workshops for families, inviting children and their adult companions to explore historical instruments through hands-on activities. Visitors can participate in the drop-in Musik-Atelier, which combines listening sessions with creative tasks to make the collection accessible through play and discovery.

The Musikmuseum offers interactive workshops for families, inviting children and their adult companions to explore historical instruments through hands-on activities.

Why families will enjoy it

Drop-in workshop format with no fixed start times
Hands-on engagement with historical musical instruments
Creative activities including crafting and playing

Activities and resources for children

Family program

Musik-Atelier

180–180 min

Drop-in musical discovery workshops for children and adults.

Open official information

Plan a family visit

Accessing the Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum with a Pass

Visitors to the Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum can take advantage of various access benefits depending on their chosen museum pass. While some programs provide full admission to the collection and exhibitions, others offer discounted entry for guests. Please refer to the individual pass details to determine which access type applies to your specific visit.

BaselCard

A complimentary guest benefit for overnight accommodation stays.

Enjoy free public transport and 25% admission discounts at participating museums and the zoo throughout your visit to Basel. This guest card is supplied with overnight stays and provides a simple way to experience local cultural institutions.

Accepted here

Museums-PASS-Musées

Tri-national access to hundreds of museums, castles, and historic gardens.

Unlock admission to an extensive network of cultural institutions located in Basel and beyond. This annual pass is designed for those looking to explore art, history, and heritage across borders.

Accepted here4 pass options

From €119

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Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum Location

The Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum is situated within the historic Lohnhof complex in the Altstadt Grossbasel neighborhood of Basel. Housed in a medieval structure that has served as a monastery and a prison, the museum offers a unique architectural setting for visitors. This central location in the old town makes it an easy and rewarding stop during a walking tour of the city's historic center.

Im Lohnhof 9

4051 Basel

Altstadt Grossbasel, Basel-Stadt, CH

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Planning Your Visit to the Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum

Located in Basel's Altstadt Grossbasel neighborhood, the Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum is easily accessible on foot or by public transit. Visitors should allow sufficient time to explore the themed exhibition rooms housed inside the former prison. A self-guided pace is recommended to fully experience the interactive sound examples and historic musical instruments.

See how to visit the museum

The Musical Heritage of Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum

The Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum, located in the Altstadt Grossbasel neighborhood of Basel, offers visitors a detailed exploration of European music history. Housed inside the historic Lohnhof complex, a medieval monastery turned prison, the exhibition is uniquely distributed across twenty-four former jail cells. Here, guests can encounter Switzerland's largest collection of musical instruments, showcasing five hundred years of regional and continental traditions. Key highlights include more than five hundred European instruments, notably a rare Basel drum from 1571.

Historical musical instruments including wooden harps and early keyboard instruments displayed on raised platforms in a dimly lit museum hall with track spotlights

Top exhibition picks at Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum

Curated museum program highlights and what to see now in Basel

Discover high-interest exhibitions at Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum, selected to help you prioritize your route, compare show themes, and plan a more rewarding museum visit in Basel.

Purple watercolor illustration depicting historical musical instruments like harps, pianos, and a barrel organ inside stone arched alcoves of a former prison museum.

Permanent exhibition

Basel Musikmuseum: The Largest Collection of Musical Instruments in Switzerland

Discover European musical traditions across five centuries in Basel.

Browse 550 historic European instruments in a unique setting. Explore former cell spaces that highlight centuries of regional and international music traditions at the Musikmuseum.

Exhibition Details

Watercolor illustration of the Haus zum Kirschgarten exhibition interior, featuring patterned walls, a portrait, and visitors exploring the historic room.

Permanent exhibition

Haus zum Kirschgarten Exhibition on Basel Bourgeoisie History

A permanent exhibition inside a historic eighteenth-century mansion.

Discover how a wealthy merchant family lived in late eighteenth-century Basel. Walk through early classical rooms filled with authentic period furniture, art, and domestic objects from the Historical Museum Basel collection.

Haus zum Kirschgarten Guide

Watercolor illustration of 18th-century Hannong faience ceramic terrines shaped like a rabbit, wild boar, bird, and vegetables on a candlelit dining table.

Permanent exhibition

Wild Boar and Lettuce Ceramics Exhibition in Basel

18th-century Strasbourg faience tableware and sculptural terrines.

See the exquisite faience ceramics produced by the Strasbourg-based Hannong family. This permanent display highlights highly detailed animal-shaped terrines and elegant tableware that once graced Basel's wealthiest households.

Ceramics Exhibition

Purple watercolor sketch of a vaulted museum gallery with visitors viewing artifacts in glass cases, including a mask and handwritten historical dates.

Permanent exhibition

Leaps in Time: Basel History Exhibition at Barfüsserkirche

A permanent journey spanning 100,000 years of regional development.

Explore the social and cultural history of the city through a curated selection of historical objects and interactive digital media. Trace Basel's evolution from early human traces to its modern status as a vibrant urban hub.

Explore Exhibition

Purple watercolor illustration of two visitors viewing a museum display case filled with ancient treasure hoard artifacts like plates, bowls, and coins.

From Oct 16, 2025

Basel Archaeological Exhibition: Treasure Hoards of the Region

Discover twenty-five ancient gold and silver treasures.

Trace regional history through legendary Celtic gold and Roman silver discoveries. Learn about the political conflicts and magical practices that led people to bury their wealth, and solve interactive puzzles with the family.

Treasure Hoards Exhibition

Historical and Antiquarian Society Exhibition in Basel

Curated library displays commemorating 150 years of scholarly heritage.

Discover the collaborative exhibition organized by the HAG, Basel University Library, and the Basel Historical Museum. Explore historical and antiquarian records showcased at the Barfüsserkirche through April 2026.

View Exhibition Details

From Mar 18, 2025

Historical Museum Basel Exhibitions: Luminous Prayer Manuscripts

Explore illuminated prayer books from the Middle Ages.

Learn how medieval believers used hand-crafted Books of Hours and psalters for daily devotion. This display features outstanding artistry from the Comites Latentes collection.

Luminous Prayer Exhibition

Jun 29, 2022 – Dec 31, 2025

Inventarium: The Archives and Collection Exhibition in Basel

A behind-the-scenes look at Basel's museum preservation methods.

Explore the complex process of managing knowledge and cataloging cultural heritage at the Barfüsserkirche. Gain deep insights into how historical artifacts are safely stored, documented, and presented to the public.

Inventarium Exhibition

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History of Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum

The historic venue of the Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum in Basel traces its origins back to a 1206 Augustinian monastery. The building served as a municipal prison from 1835 until 1995. While the instrument collection was founded in 1862, a major bequest in 1980 greatly expanded its holdings. Officially opened in 2000, this **Swiss heritage site of national significance** now displays hundreds of historic instruments inside its uniquely repurposed cell blocks.

Instrument collection founded in 1862
1862Founding
The museum's instrument collection began in 1862 when an organ was acquired for the Medieval Collection, marking the start of what would eventually become the Musikmuseum collection.
Oldest building elements date to 1206
1206Construction
The museum is housed in a complex whose oldest architectural elements trace back to an Augustinian order monastery established around 1206.
Use as a municipal prison
1835-1995Milestone
The building served as a prison from 1835 until 1995. Today, the former prison cells have been repurposed into exhibition rooms, retaining a unique architectural connection to this history.
Bernoulli-Preiswerk donation in 1980
1980Collection
In 1980, the museum received a significant bequest from Dr. H. C. Wilhelm Bernoulli-Preiswerk, which constitutes the museum's famous collection of historical brass instruments and drums.
Opened as the current Music Museum in 2000
2000Opening
After transitioning from its previous roles, the museum officially opened in its current capacity as the Music Museum in 2000, becoming a core component of the Historisches Museum Basel.
Designated as a Swiss heritage site
Heritage status
The Musikmuseum is officially recognized as a Swiss heritage site of national significance, highlighting its cultural importance to the nation.

Curious Questions: FAQs for Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum

Wondering how to squeeze into a 60-centimeter-wide former prison cell with a custom wheelchair, or why the elevator skips the cloakroom? The Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum in Basel is full of intriguing quirks, and we have the answers. Discover the practical side of visiting this unique musical prison before you go.

What is the phone number for Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum?

A public phone number for Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum is not currently provided.

Is there an email address for Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum?

An official email address for contacting Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum is not currently listed.

How can I contact Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum?

Active contact methods such as an online contact form are currently not available for Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum.

How to get to Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum

Information about public transport routes, walking directions, or driving instructions to Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum is currently not available.

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Planning Your Visit to Historical Museum Basel - Musikmuseum

Planning a trip to the Historical Museum Basel - Musikmuseum in Basel is easier when you know what to expect regarding onsite facilities. The museum features a lift that provides access to most levels, with the exception of the cloakroom located on the first basement floor. Because of the narrow historical spaces, overall wheelchair accessibility is limited, but a special narrow wheelchair can be borrowed on-site to navigate the tight exhibition cells. Additionally, a wheelchair-accessible toilet is located on the third floor, and disabled parking spaces can be found nearby.

Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum Visitor Guide and Accessibility

The Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum in Basel is well-suited for music lovers, history enthusiasts, and those interested in unique historic architecture. Families, kids, and solo travelers can explore Switzerland's largest collection of musical instruments, set inside the former prison cells of the historic Lohnhof complex. While family workshops are available, visitors with reduced mobility should note that the narrow layout of the historical cells offers limited wheelchair accessibility, though a specialized narrow wheelchair is provided on-site. Additionally, a lift serves most levels of the museum, but the basement cloakroom remains inaccessible to wheelchair users.

Visual Preview of Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum

Visual previews of the Historical Museum Basel – Musikmuseum highlight its unique home in Basel's historic Lohnhof complex. Images showcase the charming cobblestone courtyard and distinctive red-arched entrance. Inside, the atmospheric galleries display five centuries of music history, featuring historic wooden harps, early keyboard instruments, and gleaming brass displays set over parquet flooring.

White building with a red-arched entrance and Gothic windows set in a cobblestone courtyard, with bicycles parked to the side and trees in the background

Glass display cases containing brass instruments including tubas and trumpets in a dimly lit museum gallery with wooden parquet flooring

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