Museum Tinguely

The Museum Tinguely is the most joyful museum in Basel. It is dedicated to Jean Tinguely, the Swiss artist who built moving sculptures from scrap, wheels, motors and found objects, turning junk into noisy, wheezing, surprisingly funny machines. The building, designed by the Ticino architect Mario Botta and opened in 1996, stands on a landscaped bank of the Rhine and is made of pink sandstone, steel and glass. Inside, a long light filled gallery houses the largest collection of Tinguely works in the world. Many of the sculptures are meant to move, and the museum lets you press a button to set them in motion, so the rooms fill with clanks, squeaks and rattles. The effect is closer to a theatre of machines than a typical gallery. Highlights include the huge Mengele Totentanz, a dance of death built from the wreckage of a burnt out farm, and groups of works created with his partner, the artist Niki de Saint Phalle, whose colourful figures bring a different mood.

A visit takes about one and a half to two hours. The permanent display is complemented by temporary exhibitions on kinetic art, contemporary sculpture or related themes, so it is worth checking what is on. Visitors can usually start machines at timed intervals or on a button, and staff often explain how the pieces work. Children respond especially well to the sounds and movement, making this one of the best art museums for families in Switzerland.

The museum is in the Solitude Park beside the Rhine, an easy walk of about twenty minutes from the old town along the river path, or a short tram or bus ride. A walk along the Kleinbasel riverside, with benches and riverbank steps, is a pleasant approach in good weather. The museum cafe has a terrace with river views, and the surrounding park is a good place for a picnic or a rest.

Do not miss the Fasnachtsbrunnen, the Tinguely Fountain, on the Theaterplatz in the centre of town. Created in 1977, it is a playful fountain with moving figures that spray, spin and splash in a pond, and it is one of the best loved works of public art in Basel. It is free, always open and a nice stop between the old town and the shops of Steinenvorstadt.

Opening times are usually Tuesday to Sunday, with a closing day on Monday, and the museum often has a late opening one evening. Tickets can be bought at the door or online, and combined passes with other Basel museums are common. Check the current hours and any days when the machines are not running for maintenance.

Pair the visit with a lunch in the park, then continue to the Kunstmuseum Gegenwart or to the old town by ferry. If you also visit the Fondation Beyeler, you will have seen two very different faces of Basel modern art in a single day, one calm and refined, the other loud and good natured.

Ask at the desk when the big machines are scheduled to run, since the larger works are sometimes started at set times by attendants and the show is not to be missed. Earplugs are not needed, but the sound is part of the fun, so expect a lively rather than hushed gallery.