Historisches Museum Basel – Musikmuseum

With over 3,300 objects to its name, the Historisches Museum Basel is in possession of Switzerland’s largest collection of musical instruments. The ca. 650 European instruments spread over three floors span five centuries of music history from the oldest drum dating from 1571 and a highly ornate viola da gamba by Joachim Tielke (ca. 1704) to the Weber Unika Orchestrion of 1925. The 24 cells of the former prison serve as showcases in which visitors can admire instruments while calling up countless samples and additional information on an interactive screen. While touring the museum you will therefore hear all sorts of music, from the familiar to the bizarre.

This museum greets you in the following languages: D/F/E
Opening 2000

Current exhibitions

animalistic! – The Sound of Animals

22.10.2021 - 27.08.2023

This is an exhibition about the many different ways in which animals and music are connected. It asks such basic questions as: Are animals musical? Do whales and birds really sing? And how can we tell whether animals are «enjoying» music?

The exhibition is documented in the following languages: D/F/E
Guided tours are offered in the following languages: D/E