Where nostalgia meets the modern age
With everything from modern art in Thun and Interlaken to traditional woodcarving in Brienz to choose from, there is a great deal to interest art lovers in the Interlaken holiday region. For those who are more interested in history, the Open-Air Museum showcases local culture and history; meanwhile the Tourismuseum Interlaken tells the story of Alpine tourism in Switzerland.
Swiss houses and traditional crafts at the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum
Art exhibitions in Interlaken and Thun
Marvel at Thun on the Thun-Panorama circular painting
Learn more about Alpine tourism in Switzerland
Visit the museum of woodcarving in Brienz
Culture creates connections, art provides inspiration. Art and culture brighten up our lives and bring colour to the Interlaken holiday region. Both Interlaken and Thun offer a full and diverse range of artistic and cultural events. Encounter a variety of cultures and arts in the Kunsthaus Interlaken by visiting the interesting exhibitions or some of the diverse events. The Kunsthaus Interlaken has a particular tradition of jazz concerts. The Thun Art Museum also hosts four to five major temporary exhibitions each year. The Kunstmuseum Thun is located in the Thunerhof by the River Aare. Before and after your museum visit, treat yourself to a tasty snack amid the graceful surroundings of the museum.
The Thun-Panorama in the Schadau Park also has a bistro. Awaken your senses with a cup of coffee before taking in the incredible Thun-Panorama, the world’s oldest circular work of art, in the imposing exhibition hall. The 38-metre circular painting depicts the town of Thun and its surroundings, including the Alpine peaks of the Bernese Oberland. Switzerland’s first panoramic picture was painted by Basel-based artist Marquard Wocher in 1814.
Want to learn more about the history of tourism in the Alps? The first museum of tourism in Switzerland charts the development of tourism on three floors. The museum in the old town of Unterseen sheds light on the evolution of tourism over the past 500 years. As you move around the various levels, you will discover about the history of tourism in the Swiss Alps.
See Switzerland as it used to be. The Ballenberg Open-Air Museum invites you to admire a hundred original buildings from every corner of Switzerland which date back centuries; some you can even enter. The oldest house in the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum is the house from the Canton of Schwyz, which was built in 1336. This dwelling is one of the oldest wooden houses still in existence in Switzerland. Would you like to watch Swiss craftsmen at work? The Ballenberg Open-Air Museum features a number of workshops where more than 30 traditional crafts are practised, such as carving, spinning, weaving, braiding, lace-making, shingle-making and forging. There is also a permanent exhibition on the traditional costumes of Switzerland and, in summer, an open-air theatre. For animal lovers, the Open-Air Museum has more than 250 native farm animals in its grounds.
Brienz is renowned as a centre of excellence for woodcarving. The Swiss Woodcarving Museum in Brienz is the first museum in Switzerland dedicated solely to the art of woodcarving. Originally constructed by the Jobin company, the listed factory building is home to a permanent exhibition featuring a wide variety of traditional and culturally significant woodcarvings from the region. Learn more about the wonderful carving traditions of Brienz!
Find your very own cultural pearl in the Bernese Oberland and visit fascinating museums:
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