Kunstmuseum Basel

Kunstmuseum Basel

Kunstmuseum Basel houses Switzerland’s largest and most influential public art collection and has been listed in the “Inventory of Swiss National and Regional Cultural Property of National Importance.” The museum’s history dates back to 1661, when the Amerbach Cabinet was purchased by the city of Basel, making it the first municipal museum.

Kunstmuseum Basel boasts the world’s largest collection of works by the German Renaissance painter Hans Holbein the Elder and his family (circa 1465–1524), as well as major works by other Renaissance masters such as Konrad Witz, Martin Schongauer, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Matthias Grünewald. The museum also holds historically significant paintings, bronzes, and engravings from the 15th to 17th centuries, along with artworks from the 19th and 20th centuries—features that set it apart and establish its prominence among similar institutions.

Contemporary artworks are displayed in the museum’s modern art section. Notably, Kunstmuseum Basel exceptionally houses works by Arnold Böcklin, the Symbolist painter born in Basel. Additionally, the collection includes pieces by Picasso, Braque, and Gris—masterpieces that are iconic representations of the Cubist art movement.

Kunstmuseum Basel

Must-visit reason: Home to Switzerland’s largest and most influential public art collection

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Switzerland[Switzerland]

Province/State: Canton of Basel-Stadt [Canton of Basel-Stadt]

City: Basel [Basel]