Museum of Puppets


If you were lucky enough to be in Basel , then definitely go on an excursion to one of the most interesting museums of the city and Switzerland - the Puppenhausmuseum. Despite a relatively short history, the museum is considered to be one of the largest in Europe.

Exhibits of the museum

The Museum of Dolls in Basel is located in an old four-story building, which was erected in 1867. On the territory of 1000 m 2 is located the largest collection of dolls in Europe, in which there are about 6000 exhibits, including:

All exhibits are arranged in chronological and thematic order. Here you are unlikely to meet a doll in a glass box or a detached dollhouse. The museum has a collection of puppet cities with their shops, pharmacies, schools and markets. Dolls with porcelain eyes coexist on the same platform with bears. Small puppet dolls sit at school at school desks, and a toy police officer explains the rules of the road to children. It seems that another minute, and they all come to life, they will begin to talk and do their daily work. Due to the fact that some toys are equipped with an electric drive, you can literally breathe life into them. Just press the button and you can see how the carousel creaked, in the dash, visitors started shooting at targets, and shadows flashed in the windows of the houses.

In the museum of dolls in Basel, a special role is assigned to Teddy bears. Here they are almost 2500 copies, the oldest of which is more than 110 years old. Bears also live an active social life - they go to school, are treated in a hospital and even wash in a bear bath. Of particular note is the installation, where Teddy bears ride in race cars, and in the stands they are supported by bears-fans. Having looked at this installation, it seems that you can hear the crowd chanting.

Excursion around the museum

On the first floor of the museum there is a collection of game rooms and puppet cities. Most of the exhibits belong to the era of the XIX-XX century. Lovers of modern toys can go up to the third floor, where you can view a miniature copy of the Amber Cabinet, shops and Neapolitan nativity scenes. Here you can see toy churches, casinos and restaurants, not more than 80 cm high. Each part is reproduced with the utmost precision in them.

All exhibits of the museum were brought from different parts of the world - America, China, India and other countries. So in one of the halls you can carefully consider the Chinese weather with dolls dressed in traditional Chinese clothes.

Puppet Museum is a kind of guide to fashion and history. Here you can find a fashionista in a classic English poncho, and a bear in a Scottish kilt and seven bears dressed in a Japanese kimono. Puppet houses are assembled with such precision that you can see what kind of dishes at that time served lunch.

The staff of the museum created a special electronic catalog, which contains information about each exhibit. Therefore, if you are looking for a particular doll, you should know in advance where it is being exhibited. There are so many toys here that even the whole day can not get to know everyone. If necessary, you can order a copy of the toy, which will be produced directly in the museum.

How to visit?

Arriving in the Swiss city of Basel, do not miss the opportunity to visit this magical place. To get to it, you need to take the tram number 8 or 11 and go to the stop Barfüsserplatz. In the vicinity of the museum is located Basel Cathedral , and after just a couple of stops, you will find yourself in the city zoo - this excursion is perfect for a family holiday with children .