The Basel Historical Museum, housed in the Barfüsserkirche since 1894, shows selected aspects of the history of Basel from prehistoric times to the present. The focus of the exhibits from the pre-Reformation period is on sacred works of art such as the Basel Dance of Death and Basel Cathedral Treasury. The exhibition in the basement, headed “Understanding the World”, comprises a magnificent array of medieval tapestries with their fantasy worlds and scenes of real life, the Renaissance and Baroque collections, now grouped together in one “Great Cabinet of Curiosities”, and Basel’s rich archaeological heritage. Among the other highlights are the coin cabinet and the Burgundian Booty.
Basel Historical Museum – Barfüsserkirche
The Basel Historical Museum, housed in the Barfüsserkirche since 1894, shows selected aspects of the history of Basel from prehistoric times to the present. The focus of the exhibits from the pre-Reformation period is on sacred works of art such as the Basel Dance of Death and Basel Cathedral Treasury. The exhibition in the basement, headed “Understanding the World”, comprises a magnificent array of medieval tapestries with their fantasy worlds and scenes of real life, the Renaissance and Baroque collections, now grouped together in one “Great Cabinet of Curiosities”, and Basel’s rich archaeological heritage. Among the other highlights are the coin cabinet and the Burgundian Booty.
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Basel Historical Museum – Barfüsserkirche
Currently and upcoming

Where were mentally ill people cared for and treated in Basel? Were they interned for life? What medication was available around 1900 and how did the psychiatric nursing staff work? These and other ...

Coveted, missing, bought - the history of a Minnekästchen in the collection of the Historical Museum Using a medieval wooden casket as an example, provenance researcher Renato Moser, curator Bettina ...

A Sunday with offers and activities in and around the exhibition. Ask what you want - experts, peers and those affected will be present to provide information. Short guided tours, city tour, film ...

The tapestries created in Basel in the 15th century are among the collection's greatest treasures. The colorful depictions of social gatherings and minnesque scenes, mythical creatures and wild people ...

Basel was a distinctly guild town. Until 1798, the guilds provided the government in Basel.

A quartet of professional percussionists and multi-instrumentalists play a concert with the instruments from the "Upcycling Music" collection, creating breathtaking musical highlights. The music is ...

The exhibition tells the story of psychiatry over the last 150 years. It provides an insight into patient histories from the Basel clinic and shows the changes in diagnoses and therapy methods. And ...

Showcased here will be medieval works of art from churches in Switzerland and on the Upper Rhine. The impressive sculptures attesting to the veneration of saints are a reminder of how society was ...

Around 200,000 people from 200 nations live in Basel. The city forms the centre of a large tri-national region with a long history. The ‘Zeitsprünge’ exhibition offers highlights of the events and ...