The open-air museum "Ballenberg"


On the 66 hectares of land in Switzerland , in the canton of Berne, near the town of Meiringen, in 1978 an open-air museum "Swiss Open-Air Museum Ballenberg" was established. The museum acquaints visitors with the rustic culture, customs, holidays, traditions and crafts of local residents in different regions of Switzerland . In "Ballenberg" there are about one hundred and ten houses, the age of which is more than a hundred years. In the houses the situation is completely restored, and the artisan workshops are in working order.

What to look for in Ballenberg?

  1. Buildings . On the territory of the museum under the open sky there are 110 architectural objects of each region of Switzerland. Here you can see the houses of ordinary farmers, country chalets of manufacturers, stables, a dairy farm, a mill, a hairdresser's with men's and women's halls, a school. Near each building is a sign with a detailed description of the object, its appearance and interior rooms.
  2. Animals . Ballenberg is not a boring museum with dusty exhibits. Here are collected more than 250 animals that represent all the cantons of the country. You can not only see, but also feed them, which makes this place very attractive for tourists with children . Like crafts, animals are part of peasant civilization. With the help of horses, bulls and cows, plowing the land for vegetable gardens and wheat fields, shearing off wool and weaving wool from sheep, feathers and feathers of birds are used to fill pillows and blankets of handwork.
  3. Gardens and gardens . Rural life can not be imagined without a garden and a garden, which provides the owners with fresh produce. On the territory of the Museum "Ballenberg" you can see the development of the garden culture of the Swiss. Here you can see all kinds of vegetables, ornamental flowers, alpine shrubs, and also get acquainted with medicinal herbs, woody bushes and flowers of the country, the exposition of which is displayed near the pharmacy. Also in the basement of the pharmacy you can see the production of essential oils and natural perfume products.
  4. Workshops . In the open air in the Ballenberg you can see the operating cheese-making, weaving, shoe, chocolate workshops, where you not only look at the manufacture of the product, but also directly participate in the process, as well as buy handmade souvenirs. Every day workshops are held in the workshops for making shoes, lace, straw hats. We also offer you to get acquainted with the indigenous branches of the Swiss, for example, the production of cheese and oil in Engelberg , embroidery and weaving in Appenzell , Basel decoration, woodcarving and the manufacture of shoes in Bern .
  5. Exhibitions . In most of the houses there are permanent thematic exhibitions, which are devoted to the agriculture and everyday life of the inhabitants of the museum. Pay attention to the exhibitions devoted to the production of silk, Swiss folk costumes and folk music. Also on the territory there is a forest museum and a special exhibition for children "Jack's House".

How to get there?

From the city of Interlaken, take the train R and IR at Meiringen station and go 7 stops to the station Brienzwiler. From Lucerne, take the IR train about 18 minutes by train to Sarnen without stops, then change to the bus and go 5 stops to Brünig-Hasliberg, from Brünig-Hasliberg by 151 bus ride 3 stops to the museum.

The entrance ticket to Ballenberg for an adult costs 24 Swiss francs, a child ticket from 6 to 16 years old costs 12 francs, children under 6 years old are free. A family of four can visit Ballenberg for 54 francs on a family ticket. The museum runs from the beginning of April to the end of October every day from 10-00 to 17-00.