The Swiss Customs Museum occupies a former border-guard station on Lake Lugano, close to the Italian frontier. Its exhibits use uniforms, seized goods, documents, and everyday objects to explain how smuggling, customs work, and border control shaped life around the lake.
The setting is half the appeal. Reaching the museum usually involves a boat ride or a walk along the lakeshore, so it feels less like a standard city museum and more like a small excursion into Lugano's cross-border geography. Pair it with Gandria or a lake cruise when the schedule lines up.