Zentrum Paul Klee

Zentrum Paul Klee is a museum dedicated to Paul Klee, the painter who grew up in Bern and became one of the leading modern artists of the twentieth century. It stands in the green hills east of the city centre, and the building by Renzo Piano is a landmark in its own right, made up of three steel and glass waves rising from the landscape. The museum opened in 2005 and holds around four thousand works by Klee, which is the largest collection in the world, covering drawings, watercolours, paintings and puppets he made for his son. Because his works are fragile, they are shown in rotating selections, so every visit offers a different view. The main exhibition hall runs under the central wave, with long open galleries, and the building also contains a concert hall, a children's creative centre called Kindermuseum Creaviva and a restaurant. The setting, with views of the Alps and the fields around it, makes it a pleasant half-day outing.

Klee's art is small in scale, playful and often difficult to describe, with lines, colour and symbols that reward slow looking. The museum helps with clear labels in English, audio guides and themed rooms that trace his life from Bern to Munich, the Bauhaus years in Weimar and Dessau, and finally his exile in Switzerland during his illness.

The late works are often bold, with thick black lines and bright colour, and are among the most memorable pieces. Allow at least two hours, and longer if you enjoy temporary exhibitions, which often include other modern artists and wider themes.

Getting there is easy, since a city bus runs from the main station to the museum in around fifteen minutes, and the stop is outside the entrance. The museum is closed on Mondays and open the rest of the week, with opening hours that vary slightly with season. Families will like Creaviva, which offers workshops and open studios for children and adults, with activities that let visitors create art inspired by Klee.

Cafe and restaurant meals are available, and a shop sells prints, books and gifts. The surroundings include a sculpture park and walking paths, and on fine days the lawn is a pleasant place to rest.

Pair the visit with the Kunstmuseum in the city centre, which has a strong Klee collection as well as Old Masters and modern art, so you can compare approaches in a single day. If you prefer a lighter outing, visit the centre in the morning and spend the afternoon in the Old Town.

Bring a jacket, since the building can be cool, and consider buying a combined ticket if one is on offer. Photography rules vary by gallery, so watch for signs. Give yourself time to look at the building itself, which uses curved steel beams, a long glass facade and fine daylight to shape the galleries.

The grounds repay a walk. A sculpture park lies on the slope beside the building, and a path crosses the fields toward the nearby cemetery where Klee is buried, which many fans visit. The glass wall of the main gallery frames the Alps on clear days, and the lawns outside are a quiet place for a picnic. The museum also hosts concerts and talks, so check the programme in advance. The shop is one of the best museum shops in Switzerland, with prints, notebooks and children's books inspired by Klee's playful style.