The Museum Sammlung Rosengart is a small, personal museum that shows the collection of the Lucerne dealer Siegfried Rosengart and his daughter Angela, who knew Picasso well. It holds about 140 works by Pablo Picasso, with a focus on his late paintings, and about 125 works by Paul Klee, along with important pieces by twenty-one other Impressionist and Classical Modernist artists, around three hundred works in all. The building at Pilatusstrasse 10, a short walk from the station and the lake, is a former bank, and the rooms are laid out so that you can see Picasso on the first and second floors, Klee in the basement and the other artists on the second floor. Winter hours run from November to March, daily from eleven in the morning to five in the afternoon, and the museum is open every day including public holidays. Admission is modest, with reductions for students and seniors.
The scale is what makes it enjoyable. You can see the entire collection in an hour and a half without fatigue, which is rare for a museum with this many masterpieces. The Picasso rooms trace his later years, with portraits, still lifes and bold, colourful canvases, and there is a series of photographs of the artist by David Douglas Duncan that gives context. In the basement the Klee rooms show his small, delicate works on paper and canvas, the work of a painter who preferred quiet inventiveness to spectacle.
Fit it into the day. It works as a morning museum before a lake walk, or as the wet-weather pairing with the Lion Monument and the Old Town. Because the museum is small, crowds are rarely a problem, though the rooms can feel full on rainy weekends. A visit takes an hour to an hour and a half, and many visitors add a coffee in the nearby cafés. Photography is usually restricted, so check the rules at the desk, and note that winter opening times begin at eleven.
Who it suits
Anyone curious about twentieth-century art, and especially visitors who find big museums tiring. Children old enough to enjoy colour and shape will like the Picasso rooms, though it is not a hands-on attraction. For a bigger day of culture, combine the Rosengart with the KKL, whose art museum and concert hall sit beside the lake. If you have a Swiss Museum Pass, check whether it includes entry before buying a ticket at the desk.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided walk through a former bank building on three floors, with Picasso upstairs, Klee in the basement and Impressionists and modernists between.
Best time
Late morning on a weekday, when the rooms are quietest.
How long
One to two hours.
Tips
Winter hours start at eleven, so plan a morning walk first. Check photography rules at the desk.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Art lovers who want a calm, focused hour with Picasso and Klee.
- Families
- Best for older children who enjoy colour and shape; it is not a hands-on museum.
- Couples
- A quiet indoor hour followed by a coffee near the lake.
- Pair with
- The Lion Monument, the Chapel Bridge and the KKL.
- Time needed
- Ninety minutes is plenty.
Good questions
What is in the Rosengart Collection?+
About 140 works by Picasso, 125 by Klee and pieces by 21 other Impressionist and modernist artists, around 300 works in total.
What are the winter opening hours?+
From November to March the museum is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., including public holidays.
How much is admission?+
Admission is modest, with reductions for students and seniors. Check the museum's page for the current prices.
How long should I allow?+
One to two hours is enough to see the whole collection comfortably.
Where is it?+
At Pilatusstrasse 10, a short walk from the railway station and the lake front.
