Musée Ariana
Musée Ariana
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 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
Built in the Italian baroque style and crowned with a cupola, it was constructed between 1877 and 1884 by the art patron Gustave Revilliod to house his vast and eclectic collections. He bequeathed the museum and its surrounding park to the City of Geneva in 1890. Today it is known as the Swiss Museum for Ceramics and Glass. In the Musée Ariana are to be found the various ceramics and glass collections belonging to the City of Geneva. It is the only museum in Switzerland devoted entirely to ceramic and glass art and occupies an important place in this field.The collections, comprising more than 25,000 objects, illustrate seven centuries of ceramics ranging from Europe to the Far East. All the principal techniques are represented: earthenware, faïence, stoneware and porcelain. The collection of Middle Eastern ceramics and an important group of Oriental export porcelain highlight the interactions between the Orient and Europe.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.5
299 reviews
Excellent
135
Very good
119
Average
40
Poor
5
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Middle_ageds
USA28 contributions
They won't allow you to take photos inside, which is too bad, since the building itself is incredible. It is ornate, full of marble columns, gold gilding, and beautiful architecture all around. It is obvious that money was apparently no object to whomever designed and built the building itself. That it is free to tour is amazing, since everything else around Geneva will cost you no less than 6 CHF to get in.
We were its only visitors the day in September we chose to visit. I thought my younger children would be bored with it, but they found it interesting enough to keep themselves from misbehaving. To call it a glass and ceramics museum is like calling the Louvre a building full of paintings and statues. It is not just glass- it is glass artistically arranged to look like a giant bouquet of flowers. It's not just ceramics, it is delicate porcelain with intricate, detailed decorative painting, one-of-a-kind beauty.
We went to the lower level to use the public restrooms, and were surprised to find an exhibit by a modern artist- but you had to pay to get into that exhibit. There is also a nice little cafe with a balcony that gives a lovely view of the area. Didn't have a chance to visit the cafe, unfortunately, as it was closed by the time we arrived.
There is also some modern art on display in the "free" part of the museum. Overall, I'm glad we chanced it.
We were its only visitors the day in September we chose to visit. I thought my younger children would be bored with it, but they found it interesting enough to keep themselves from misbehaving. To call it a glass and ceramics museum is like calling the Louvre a building full of paintings and statues. It is not just glass- it is glass artistically arranged to look like a giant bouquet of flowers. It's not just ceramics, it is delicate porcelain with intricate, detailed decorative painting, one-of-a-kind beauty.
We went to the lower level to use the public restrooms, and were surprised to find an exhibit by a modern artist- but you had to pay to get into that exhibit. There is also a nice little cafe with a balcony that gives a lovely view of the area. Didn't have a chance to visit the cafe, unfortunately, as it was closed by the time we arrived.
There is also some modern art on display in the "free" part of the museum. Overall, I'm glad we chanced it.
Written September 30, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AliSpekterman
Qiryat Bialik, Israel148 contributions
Dec 2019 • Friends
Just up the street from The United Nations, the building is impressive and the collection of ceramics and glass is wonderful. We enjoyed our visit very much.
Written December 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Supersupergirl
England, UK8,515 contributions
Oct 2019
Visited Musée Ariana because the group wanted to go.
The musee is huge so it took us three to four hours to see everything.
There were lots of elegant ceramics.
The musee is huge so it took us three to four hours to see everything.
There were lots of elegant ceramics.
Written September 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KerryandTim
Austin, TX227 contributions
Sep 2019
I've seen my share of glass and porcelain objects d'art, and I didn't find those housed in this museum any more or less special than elsewhere, but I did find the building itself a sight to behold. The ceilings rival some of the best in Italy. I enjoyed gawking at the building itself.
Written September 23, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lovetogo1950
Burbank, Washington39 contributions
Apr 2017 • Family
Beautiful building housing two floors of ceramics and glass in a variety of styles, cultures, and sizes. Nice place to check out, since it's free, and just down the street from the United Nations.
Written May 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PavlaPavla
Chrudim, Czech Republic7,538 contributions
Dec 2016 • Couples
It is a beautiful museum full of pottery and porcelain. Exhibition shows porcelain from many European countries and the Middle and Far East too.The collection is the only one of its kind in Switzerland.
The museum is located in Ariana park, few steps from the UN building and Broken Chair sculpture. There is free admission.
The museum is located in Ariana park, few steps from the UN building and Broken Chair sculpture. There is free admission.
Written January 1, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Frances F
London, UK39 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
More ceramics than glass - both are from all over the world and some are very old - how they have survived seems pretty miraculous in some cases. No entry charge except for a small special exhibition on the work of three 20th-century ceramicists, which was fascinating (two are still alive and working in their 90s). Lovely building.
Written May 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SunnyDeeSaskatoon
Saskatoon11 contributions
Oct 2014 • Business
The buildings and grounds were stunning. however be aware most of the museums including this one and the ICRC just up the street are closed Mondays. the grounds here are worth a quiet contemplation.
Written November 3, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
indiansummer2010
Geneva, Switzerland31 contributions
Oct 2013 • Friends
The actual building is almost as interesting as the content of the exhibition, beautiful marble columns , exquisite façade. The porcelaine collection as well as its history is great. I was disappointed to find that the porcelaine of Herend was not even mentioned, and the pieces similar ( or same) were only acknowledged as Meissen !
Written September 1, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eatfishcambridge
Cambridge, MA132 contributions
This museum of ceramic and glass has a lovely range of historical pieces and a small modern collection upstairs. The building is impressive inside and out and there is a little cafe upstairs with a balcony - perfect on a summer day. Entrance is free and it is a great stopover if you are in the area visiting the Red Cross Museum.
Written June 27, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pues no... un poco tarde para responder si pensaba visitarnos hoy. Eperemos pueda volver el martes. Gracias por su interés.
un saludo
Written August 13, 2018
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