One of the largest and most important history museums in Switzerland, spread across several buildings in the old town — the main venue in the beautifully restored Gothic Barfüsserkirche, with the Musikmuseum and other branches nearby. The permanent collection covers Basel from pre-Roman times through the 20th century, with particularly fine medieval decorative arts: tapestries, gold and silverwork, stained glass, and carved stone.
The church building alone is worth entering — the nave is strikingly tall and the carved capitals around the cloister are exceptional. The collection of ceremonial weapons, guild objects, and late medieval painting gives a vivid picture of what Basel was like at the height of its pre-Reformation wealth and influence.