Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum)
Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum)
Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum)
4
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
This large art museum houses the world's largest collection of Paul Klee works and has an extremely impressive selection of 20th-century artists.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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How to get there
- Bern Station • 8 min walk
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630 within 3 miles
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138 within 6 miles
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
250 reviews
Excellent
88
Very good
100
Average
42
Poor
9
Terrible
11
permia
Ireland38,333 contributions
Oct 2022
Having followed the Gurlitt saga since it first made the headlines almost a decade ago, we were delighted our visit coincided with the latest exhibition concerning the trove of paintings and their provenance.
Marvellously presented, it describes the ethical difficulties of dealing with almost 1600 paintings left by Gurlitt as a bequest to this Bern museum, conforming to the 1998 Washington Principles and many other issues associated with both his and his father’s legacy .
A powerful statement is the enormous double walls containing images, both front and back, of the bequest in its entirety.
While viewing the selection it was fascinating to see the attendant traffic light system regarding the provenance of the works. Green for works determined not to be looted, orange for gaps in the assignments, and so on.
As well as the special Gurlitt exhibition, the gallery displays multitudes of other priceless paintings. Superb works by the renowned Ferdinand Hodler were great to see, particularly Der Tag and Die Nacht.
Kandinsky, Picasso, Miro, Braque, Chagall and many more were delightful to admire while strolling around over a couple of hours.
Marvellously presented, it describes the ethical difficulties of dealing with almost 1600 paintings left by Gurlitt as a bequest to this Bern museum, conforming to the 1998 Washington Principles and many other issues associated with both his and his father’s legacy .
A powerful statement is the enormous double walls containing images, both front and back, of the bequest in its entirety.
While viewing the selection it was fascinating to see the attendant traffic light system regarding the provenance of the works. Green for works determined not to be looted, orange for gaps in the assignments, and so on.
As well as the special Gurlitt exhibition, the gallery displays multitudes of other priceless paintings. Superb works by the renowned Ferdinand Hodler were great to see, particularly Der Tag and Die Nacht.
Kandinsky, Picasso, Miro, Braque, Chagall and many more were delightful to admire while strolling around over a couple of hours.
Written October 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Brian R
Vienna, VA573 contributions
Aug 2022
A small collection of mostly little-known Swiss artists with a sprinkling of more well-known artists. Good for fans of Bonnard, though. We would have been better off spending the time walking around the old city.
Written August 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
CatherineBH
San Diego, CA320 contributions
Feb 2022 • Couples
We have the Swiss Travel Pass and entrance to this museum was included. We’re glad that we we were able to visit. It had paintings and art from various artists like Joan Miro, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Written March 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Julian I
35 contributions
Jun 2021
I have been several times to the Kunstmuseum in Bern. It has a very good collection, even though most Klee works are now in a separate location. However, photography was always banned, even without flash. Finally, they have relented and I rushed over (nearly 90 minutes drive). The selection of the permanent collection was the WORST EVER and the hangings were terrible with massive reflections in 80% of the works. I know COVID has hurt museums a lot, but I can't recommend anyone going until the management is changed and the place is refurbished and the collection sorted out and rehung.
Written June 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Snowball's adventure
Barnet, UK6,798 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
Only 2 stars due to we were expecting a lot more masterpieces. The paintings/ arts were a bit too modern to our likings. However, staffs were nice & polite & the place was empty. It was nice to stroll around inside.
Lockers were on the basement and it's free to use.
Free entry with the Swiss Travel Pass.
Lockers were on the basement and it's free to use.
Free entry with the Swiss Travel Pass.
Written June 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
redeco
Warren, MA9,449 contributions
The Kunstmuseum in Bern holds a collection of international renown and is well worthy of any visitor's attention. The art and paintings range from fourteenth century to present and the permanent collection is arranged in a very interesting manner. Galleries feature thematic rather than chronological arrangement.
For example, one gallery features women reading a book. Another gallery shows the suffering Christ by a medieval artist, another by Roualt, another by a Renaissance artist and more. Another gallery depicts lovers' kisses, another still lifes, and so forth. The effect is startling and lively. I commend the director/curators who have implimented this vision and highly recommend a visit to any and all who love art.
For example, one gallery features women reading a book. Another gallery shows the suffering Christ by a medieval artist, another by Roualt, another by a Renaissance artist and more. Another gallery depicts lovers' kisses, another still lifes, and so forth. The effect is startling and lively. I commend the director/curators who have implimented this vision and highly recommend a visit to any and all who love art.
Written February 1, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Bebop M
New York City, NY8 contributions
Oct 2015 • Friends
Look at this picture. It says it all. This terribly scuffed floor at Berne's Fine Arts Museum is 2 feet from the Mondrian and 1 yard from the Rothko. I asked the guard how long it has been like that and was told with a shoulder shrug it had been this way for a year or so, but only gets worse!
You would never see this at any museum in NY, such as the MoMa, the Met, the Neue Galerie, Guggenheim, etc. Then again, I guess Berne is not New York. Yet you would think in Switzerland there is a proper way of doing things and most everything else is tidy, well-painted, clean and organized?
Otherwise I would've said "Very Good" since the Toulouse Lautrec exhibition is weird but 'okay' and this museum's permanent collection is compact but world-class. However I can't love something which is so clearly unloved.
You would never see this at any museum in NY, such as the MoMa, the Met, the Neue Galerie, Guggenheim, etc. Then again, I guess Berne is not New York. Yet you would think in Switzerland there is a proper way of doing things and most everything else is tidy, well-painted, clean and organized?
Otherwise I would've said "Very Good" since the Toulouse Lautrec exhibition is weird but 'okay' and this museum's permanent collection is compact but world-class. However I can't love something which is so clearly unloved.
Written October 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
69Traveltraveltravel
Lausanne, Switzerland256 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
When going to Bern, take the time for a stroll thru the museum. Middle-age artists on one floor, however, paintings of Van Gogh, Picasso, Paul Klee, Cezanne, and others on another floor. Plus a couple of local folks (August Gaul and Martin Lauterburg) who are worth-while visiting. Great value for money, the Collection itself is enough.
Written December 20, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Anna
Los Angeles, CA20 contributions
Feb 2019 • Solo
I have to be honest: The permanent collection (for which I was there for) is extremely small, and also not very impressive. Furthermore, on their website they state that they have Hodler paintings as part of their permanent collection, but when I went there they said that they actually don't have any Hodler paintings on display at the moment. This was a major disappointment for me as Hodler was the main reason why I wanted to visit. I can't judge the temporary exhibitions, since they weren't a primary interest of mine (it was mostly video installations). There were two interesting paintings by Felix Valloton, which were my favorites. If you just want to see the collection, the price isn't too expensive, but you really won't get much for the money. Not to be a snob, but compared to for example the Kunstmuseum in Basel, the museum in Bern feels quite provincial.
Written February 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Bebop Cowboy Forever
Geneva, Switzerland73 contributions
Sep 2018 • Friends
For most, going to Kunstmuseum Bern between now and mid-November 2018 will lead to disappointment and resentment. Disappointment because, at the time of writing, the main draw called "République Géniale" is a bonafide disaster. Meanwhile, very few of the collection's great paintings are crowded unlovingly in a series of small, low-ceilinged and cramped rooms in a basement-like setting. Resentment because there is actually an SFr. 10 fee for this nonsense.
Most of the museum is currently given over to empty shelves and spaces with very little to see and interact with due to this failed "République Géniale" which purports to base itself on the ideas of Robert Filliou, to bring a new vision of art and art education, but instead it is a reckless hodgepodge of nonsense, an inane self-justification of something which should have never been attempted in the first place. It relies mainly on the use of video art, including work by a few collectives including Superflex and a research group, and feigns interactivity but falls well short. The performance side of the programme seems to be an amalgamation of whoever could be scraped together ostensibly for purpose. The befuddled and confused looks on the (very few) visitors' faces checking it out this past Saturday said it all.
Aren't these flaming wrecks meant for the more mediocre, bottom-of-the-barrel, low-budget 'kunsthallen' of Germany, rather than a fine art museum with an undeniably excellent collection? It would be forgivable in a student art exhibition (and could be taken more seriously). How many people will show up in nearly three months? A few thousand disappointed victims? One can't imagine the local government, foundation backers and museum supporters are happy with the likely result.
Oh, and there's yet ANOTHER FERDINAND HODLER EXHIBITION on the way. Just what this country needs! With programming like this, it can be likened to death by a thousand cuts.
Why did I even try going back to this museum? It's lousy. Again.
If you think I'm somehow too harsh, see the latest comments from Kunstmuseum Bern's guestbook which I append to underscore the point.
Most of the museum is currently given over to empty shelves and spaces with very little to see and interact with due to this failed "République Géniale" which purports to base itself on the ideas of Robert Filliou, to bring a new vision of art and art education, but instead it is a reckless hodgepodge of nonsense, an inane self-justification of something which should have never been attempted in the first place. It relies mainly on the use of video art, including work by a few collectives including Superflex and a research group, and feigns interactivity but falls well short. The performance side of the programme seems to be an amalgamation of whoever could be scraped together ostensibly for purpose. The befuddled and confused looks on the (very few) visitors' faces checking it out this past Saturday said it all.
Aren't these flaming wrecks meant for the more mediocre, bottom-of-the-barrel, low-budget 'kunsthallen' of Germany, rather than a fine art museum with an undeniably excellent collection? It would be forgivable in a student art exhibition (and could be taken more seriously). How many people will show up in nearly three months? A few thousand disappointed victims? One can't imagine the local government, foundation backers and museum supporters are happy with the likely result.
Oh, and there's yet ANOTHER FERDINAND HODLER EXHIBITION on the way. Just what this country needs! With programming like this, it can be likened to death by a thousand cuts.
Why did I even try going back to this museum? It's lousy. Again.
If you think I'm somehow too harsh, see the latest comments from Kunstmuseum Bern's guestbook which I append to underscore the point.
Written September 3, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Isabella G
Pisa, Italy4 contributions
quanto costa il biglietto per studenti accompagnati dai professori
Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum) (Bern) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum)
- Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum) is open:
- Tue - Tue 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
- Wed - Sun 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- We recommend booking Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum) tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 1 Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum) tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum):
- (0.14 mi) Hotel Savoy
- (0.10 mi) Akomo Bern
- (0.19 mi) Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & Spa
- (0.16 mi) Kreuz Bern Modern City Hotel
- (0.23 mi) Hotel Baren am Bundesplatz
- Restaurants near Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum):
- (0.04 mi) Restaurant Bay
- (0.08 mi) Moléson Gourmanderie
- (0.09 mi) Restaurant Aarbergerhof
- (0.06 mi) Qin Restaurant
- (0.10 mi) Nooch Asian Kitchen