Bern Historical Museum (Bernisches Historisches Museum)

Location

Bern, Switzerland

Address

Helvetiaplatz 5, 3005 Bern

Opened

1894

Type

Museum

Official website ↗

History of the museum

The Bern Historical Museum (Bernisches Historisches Museum) opened in 1894. The building was originally planned as the Swiss National Museum, a role that was later given to Zurich. It was designed by the Neuchâtel architect André Lambert, who modeled it on castles of the 15th and 16th centuries. An extension was completed in 2009. The museum is listed as a Swiss cultural property of national significance.

Above the entrance is the glass mosaic "The Age of History," created in 1900 by Léo-Paul Robert. In 2019 the museum joined the Multaka network, offering free guided tours for refugees and migrants led by Arabic-speaking guides.

What you can see

With about 500,000 items, the collection ranges from the Stone Age to the present and from Bern's own history to cultures on every continent, with permanent displays of objects from Asia, Oceania, the Americas and Egypt. The permanent exhibition uses multimedia displays, and a temporary exhibition hall of 1,200 square meters hosts changing shows on historical, archaeological and ethnographic topics. Highlights include:

• The Burgundian booty: tapestries and other objects taken from the camp of Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy after his defeat at the Battle of Nancy in 1477.
• The Muri statuette group: six Gallo-Roman bronze figurines.
• The Moringen arrowhead: identified in 2023 as being made of meteoritic iron.
• The Einstein Museum: started as a temporary exhibition in 2005 and became a permanent museum about the life and work of Albert Einstein in the context of world history, including his research on relativity during his years in Bern. Animated films and experiments explain his theories.

Clocks and watches

The Bern Historical Museum is a general history museum, not a watch museum. Neither the museum's website nor its tourism listings mention a dedicated clock or watch collection or highlight any timepieces. Visitors with a specific interest in horology should contact the museum directly before their visit to ask whether clocks or watches from the collection are currently on display.

Why it matters for watch collectors

For watch enthusiasts, the museum is less about specific timepieces and more about context. It shows the history and culture of a region that shaped Swiss society and craftsmanship. The Einstein Museum covers his research on relativity during his Bern years, a theory that changed how physics understands time. A visit pairs well with Bern's clock tower, the Zytglogge, whose astronomical clockwork was rebuilt by Kaspar Brunner in 1527–1530. Its dial may date back to the 15th century, and since the 1530 renewal the clockwork has also driven the figure that strikes the bell.

Visiting

The museum is at Helvetiaplatz 5, 3005 Bern. The Einstein Museum is housed in the same building and has its own ticket category; it offers an audio guide in nine languages, an induction headset and a video guide for deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors. Einstein's former home, the Einsteinhaus, is a separate place with its own admission.

The official website did not provide readable opening hours or prices, so please check bhm.ch before your visit. The museum is listed by the Swiss Museum Pass, and Bern's tourism office presents it among the city's cultural attractions.

Opening hours, prices and exhibitions change. Please check the official website before your visit.

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