The Schweizerisches Landesmuseum, an exuberant late-19th-century fantasia of turrets and gables built right beside the Hauptbahnhof, houses Switzerland's most comprehensive collection of Swiss history. The displays run from prehistoric flints through medieval ecclesiastical art, Renaissance armour, Reformation-era weapons and intricate silver, on into 20th-century design.
The recent extension by Christ & Gantenbein (2016) adds a sharply contemporary wing in raw concrete, doubling the gallery space and creating a courtyard inside the original building. Highlights include the carved oak medieval choir stalls, an extraordinary collection of Swiss-German altarpieces, and a panel devoted to Swiss political history from Tell to the modern federal state. Free for visitors under 16; closed Mondays.