Klingendes Museum Bern

What does a serpent actually sound like? And what are an ophicleide, a saxhorn, a turkish crescent? What did a brass band sound like in the 19th century? What instruments did musicians play in Mozart's or Berliozʼ time?
The exhibition "C'est le vent qui fait la musique" provides sounding answers, it invites you to marvel and play yourself: Lure, contrabass trombone, saxophone, theremin (corona-compatible: touch-free) etc.

This museum greets you in the following languages: D/F/E
The electronic guide is written and spoken in English. Guided tours in English on demand.

Opening 2017

Current exhibitions

C'est le vent qui fait la musique. Musical Instruments from 300 Years. Marvels in Sound

21.01.2017 - 31.12.2023

It is the wind that brings wind instruments to resonate.
How wind instruments and their music developed? From Turkish bands around 1800 to the orchestral instruments of the 19th century, the invention of the saxophone around 1840, as well as how a simple shepherd's horn became a beloved instrument of traditional and modern music, as well as a symbol of Swissness: the Alphorn.
And you can try to play some of the instruments by yourself: Alphorns, Roman cornua, contrabass trombone an more.

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

Special exhibition: Our Treasures - Precious Wind Instruments

19.10.2022 - 01.10.2023

Do you know the musette de cour from the court of the Sun King (a baroque bagpipe), the "Musettenbass" (a Bernese church instrument), flutes made of crystal glass or the "demi-lune" trumpet? How do they sound, for what music were they developed?
We can display our most precious instruments only in protected showcases: They are in unstable condition, have parts made of fragile materials or are extremely rare. This exhibition shows these instruments and to mediate all of them by video recordings.

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