Ballenberg - Swiss Open-Air Museum

8 Highlights at Ballenberg

• The Ballenberg Museum spans over 66 hectares.
• You can look forward to a packed lineup of historical attractions and exciting activities.
• More than 100 historical residential and agricultural buildings from across Switzerland have been reconstructed at this open-air museum. Especially in the historic kitchens and living rooms, you can get a glimpse into traditional Swiss rural life.
• You'll also find over 250 native farm animal species and a vast array of traditional agricultural and cultural plants at Ballenberg. So, it’s a living museum too.
• The museum covers various topics, including architecture, craftsmanship, and rural economy.
• Numerous permanent exhibitions enhance the museum experience.
• Ballenberg emphasizes participation. You have the opportunity to join workshops to learn old crafts. Examples include blacksmithing, glassblowing, restoration, weaving, and much more.
• In the Ballenberg shops, you can find traditional and homemade delicacies such as locally baked wood-fired bread, jams, vegetables, cheese, and much more.

Located in the Bernese Oberland in Hofstetten between Brienz and Meiringen, there’s a place with a lot of historical significance: we’re talking about Ballenberg, the unique open-air museum of Switzerland.

Old buildings such as farmhouses, multi-purpose buildings, barns or stables were dismantled piece by piece and rebuilt near Brienz. Meanwhile, the open-air museum covers 66 hectares of buildings and memories from all over Switzerland. At this special place you will dive into Swiss cultural history. You will embark on a unique voyage of discovery into the past.

The Offer at Ballenberg

The open-air museum is located on the eponymous Ballenberg above the Aare Valley near Brienz. The area is filled with various architectural buildings, 250 farm animals, and stunning gardens. Additionally, there are regular events and unique courses available.

Swiss Activities Offer:

• Entrance Ticket to Ballenberg Museum

Architecture

At Ballenberg, you will discover more than 100 residential and farm buildings from different periods and in a wide variety of architectural styles. Among other things, you can visit craft buildings, farmhouses, stables, barns, bakehouses and granaries from various places in Switzerland. All of them were quarried stone by stone and rebuilt here in the Bernese Oberland.

As you tour the buildings, you'll learn interesting facts about the building materials used and the different architectural styles. People worked mainly with clay, lime and wood to build their houses between the 14th and 19th centuries. They processed these materials in the brickyard, the sawmill and in the rope factory.

There are also great buildings in the form of half-timbered or log buildings. In the economic buildings you can marvel at various cellars that were used to store vegetables, fruits and other foodstuffs. These include: Cold and earth cellars, drying kiln, Tresterschopf as waste utilization and cheese and grain stores.

The roofs of the houses also differ in their materials. Some are covered with straw and others with wooden or stone shingles. At the beginning of the 19th century, people increasingly used tiles.

Inside the houses you can see exciting information about housing, ventilation and heat exchange. The orientation of the rooms and the placement of the heating stoves in the center of the house for ideal heat distribution played a major role. Shutters to open and close were mainly used to keep out the cold.

Crafts

More than 30 traditional crafts have been brought back to life in the open-air museum. You will have the opportunity to see and learn about the diligence and spirit of these traditional crafts. These include spinning, carving, basketry, pottery, medicine making and weaving.

Food production:

Home food production used to be very important in order to provide food for one's family. Baking was usually done in bakehouses in the community or on larger farms in their own bakehouse. In the museum you can see such a bakehouse and watch a baker making loaves of bread.

You will also have the opportunity to visit an old alpine cheese dairy, where cheese is made in the traditional way almost every day. You will see traditional cooking and the procurement and processing of food in several buildings at Ballenberg. You will learn how much effort it took to stockpile and procure food.

• Baking
• Cheese making
• Cooking

Crafts with needle and thread:

Work with needle and thread used to be very important in every household and part of everyday life. At Ballenberg you will be immersed in traditional crafts such as sewing, weaving, roping and knitting. Here you will be shown how fabrics, tablecloths and yarn were made in domestic work in earlier times.

• sewing
• knitting
• embroidery
• bobbin lace
• Filleting
• Weaving
• ropes
• Silk production
• trimmings
• Spinning

Working with natural materials:

Processing natural materials was part of daily tasks in the past. Everyday objects were made and used independently. In Ballenberg you can visit a complete hatter's workshop or watch the production of traditional medicines with herbs. The museum also offers many other exciting handicrafts for you to visit:

• pottery
• hat making
• medicine making
• wood carving
• Beekeeping
• Basket weaving
• Grinding
• Forging
• Brickmaking

Animals

For children, a trip to Ballenberg is a unique nature experience. There are a total of over 250 farm animals to discover. These are mainly animals that have lived on the farm as farm animals since the 14th century. The animals on site have been at Ballenberg since 1996. Informative panels at the enclosures give you a closer look at the animals on the grounds. These include:

• horses and donkeys
• cows
• Chickens and birds
• pigs
• Sheep and goats
• small animals
• bees

For more than 25 years, a support association has been committed to the large number of farm animals at Ballenberg. The focus of the support is on respectful behavior and a teaching of values in dealing with the animals.

Exhibitions

Stories of a costume

In this exhibition you will get a true insight into the craft of making the traditional costume. The production requires a lot of knowledge, experience and skills and was perfected by the old craftsmen and women over many years.

House from mats

The house from Matten dates back to the 16th century and was rebuilt in Ballenberg as an example of the living needs of a family of four in our time. In this exhibition you will encounter an interesting tension between renewal, innovation and tradition.

Naturopathy/Drugstore

In this exhibition you will learn everything about the history of naturopathy and drugstore. In the past, ointments and tinctures were made by a druggist himself, but over time more and more ready-made products were sold. Immerse yourself in the development of naturopathy and learn how it is today

Swiss tradition

In this exhibition you will experience the noble living world of the 19th century. Learn about the production and development of traditional costumes and traditional musical instruments. In the manufactor's villa from Burgdorf you can not only look but also listen to the sounds of traditional folk music

brickyard from Pery

Experience a historical brickyard and discover the traditional brickmaking craft. In the exhibition you will learn how the craft was practiced in the Jura in the 19th century. Watch as the master craftsman fires the clay and makes weather-resistant bricks.

More exhibitions

• Rough hands - fine silk
• hatter
• Travellers' craftsmen
• Bees
• weaving cellar
• Saddlery
• At the hairdresser
• Small Animals Switzerland Museum
• Wedding
• The forest - our world
• Magic forest (for children)
• Death room
• Wall decorations - picture worlds of our ancestors
• Sust: mules and hemlocks
• House history house from Schwyz
• House history house from Malvaglia
• Chestnut culture
• The secret of silk
• House history farm from Novazzano
• Scroll and wall painting
• Birth room
• Brienz furniture
• Woodcarving
• Ceramic exhibition, Bernese pottery
• From the wagon wheel to the ski circus
• Ropemaking
• House history old building from Champatsch/Val Müstair

Shopping

The Ballenberg store offers a great opportunity to buy beautiful souvenirs and handmade gifts. All products are directly from Ballenberg and make a great souvenir or an exceptional gift. In addition to a drugstore, there is also a vegetable sale, homemade goods, a kiosk and the Märithüsli

• Drugstore: In the drugstore you can find different kinds of tea, honey, pastilles and many other healthy products. There is also a great medicinal herb garden.
• Vegetable sale: You can buy fresh fruits and vegetables every Tuesday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. from mid-June to the end of October.
• Homemade: Here you will find delicious jams, as well as syrup, bread, preserved vegetables and much more
• Kiosk Bönigen: In the kiosk you can buy special rarities and specialties. For example, there are great toys, beautiful postcards and sweet delicacies.
• Märithüsli: In the Märithüsli you can find great Jenni shirts from the Jenni family. You can also visit this store without museum admission

The Houses in Ballenberg

Ballenberg features over 100 residential and agricultural buildings from all over Switzerland. Whether it's small alpine settlements, large farmhouses, barns, storage buildings, washhouses, craft houses, or drying ovens—these structures are unique testimonies to everyday life from earlier times.

The buildings are arranged over more than 66 hectares by their region of origin, authentically reflecting the past and allowing you to immerse yourself in the bygone times of Switzerland's various regions.

Jura

The Jura Heights stretch along the western border of Switzerland and are divided into the folded Jura and the table Jura. The folded Jura refers to the rugged and mountainous region of the Jura, which is dotted with individual farms and villages. From this area, you can admire a large farmhouse with a cistern and a storage building from Montsevelier. The table Jura is the lower-lying region in the northern part of the Jura, where you'll find another farmhouse, a traditional multi-purpose building.

Central Plateau

The Plateau stretches between Lake Geneva and Lake Constance. This area is characterized by a mix of urban and rural settings, along with industry and agriculture. In Ballenberg, you can see a typical stone residential house, an old wooden farmhouse, and a unique pigsty, among other things.

Bernese Plateau

The Bernese Plateau extends from Lake Thun to Wynau and from Lake Murten to the border with Lucerne. In Ballenberg, you'll find 17 different buildings from the period between the 17th century and around 1900. Here, you can discover various structures like little wash houses, farmhouses, grain storage, cheese storage, and much more.

Brandboden

In the Brandboden area at Ballenberg, you’ll find everything related to wood, forest use, and fire. You can visit the reconstruction of a lime kiln and a wood-fired oven. Additionally, there are two other buildings for craftsmen. Everything is designed in the style of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Western Switzerland

Western Switzerland consists of the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg. At Ballenberg, there are six different buildings on display that reflect the past life of this region. Various farmhouses, a granary, and a multifunctional building have been restored here.

Eastern Midland

At the open-air museum, you’ll find the cantons of Thurgau, Zürich, and Schaffhausen in the Eastern Midland. In total, you can look forward to 13 different structures from the 15th to the 19th century. Check out buildings in half-timbered style and various style mixes.

Central Switzerland

Central Switzerland includes the cantons around the Lake Lucerne. This region is mainly characterized by timber as a building material. You’ll also find many separate buildings instead of the often-built multifunctional houses. At Ballenberg, there are 11 different structures from the 16th to the 19th century.

Ticino

Geographically, Ticino is one of the most diverse cantons in Switzerland. The southern part features Lake Maggiore. In the north, there are many mountain villages still situated over 1,500 m above sea level. In Ballenberg, you can explore 10 unique buildings from the 16th to the 19th century from this canton.

Eastern Switzerland

Eastern Switzerland comprises the semi-cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Ausserrhoden, as well as St. Gallen and Thurgau. The Appenzell region is especially alpine in character and known for its dairy farming. The St. Gallen embroidery is also renowned and has gained worldwide recognition. At Ballenberg, you’ll find three buildings from Eastern Switzerland that bear witness to the beginnings of these sectors.

Berner Oberland

The Berner Oberland has been one of Switzerland's most popular tourist destinations for nearly 200 years. At Ballenberg, you can find 14 different buildings that showcase the history of the Berner Oberland. They have attracted visitors for many years now.

Wallis

The Wallis region is characterized by the traditional log construction style. This building method can be found both in the valleys and in the mountain regions. At Ballenberg, you can see a residential building from 1568 and a hay barn from the 18th century from Blatten.

Graubünden

Graubünden is the largest canton in Switzerland and offers a very diverse architectural landscape. The area at Ballenberg is still under development, but you can already visit a hay barn from 1780 from Vals.

Courses at Ballenberg

Ballenberg offers an incredibly extensive range of courses. You have the opportunity to learn various crafts and immerse yourself in the daily work of the past.

Imaging and Exposure

The topic of Imaging and Exposure focuses on the art of photography. In five different courses, you can dive into the development of photography and master the craft. There are courses such as Photography in the 19th Century, Analog Photography, Fine Art Printing, and Pinhole Camera Construction.

Building and Planting

Here, you can learn skills like gardening and composting, shingling, mowing, log cabin construction, dry stone walling, and well building. There are a total of nine different courses available in this area.

Bending and Veneering

Bending and Veneering includes the production of skis, snowboards, and splitboards. You can participate in courses for building skateboards and making skis, snowboards, or splitboards.

Folding and Binding

The Folding and Binding area offers many courses. Here, you can learn bookbinding, folding origami and book objects, printing, or making boxes. There are a total of seven different courses available where you can try out and learn an exciting craft.

Dyeing and Painting

Dyeing and Painting encompasses a large number of different techniques such as painting, printing, and surface finishing. Learn the Tessiner Blue Print technique or participate in a taster course on Japanese ink painting. There are a total of eight different courses.

Shaping and Designing

This area revolves around the creation of various objects. In 14 different courses, you'll learn crafts such as ceramics, yarn painting, pottery, hat making, and shoe making.

Casting and food

Pouring and Eating includes courses on tobacco and dough. Learn how to bake with dough and wood or take part in a tobacco and pipe seminar. In all, you'll find four different courses in this subject area

Glassing and firing

Glassmaking and firing deals with the topics of glass, glassmaking, lead glazing and charcoal burning. Here you can take a taster course in leaded glass or a glassmaking Christmas special, among other things. There are a total of six different courses in this subject area.

Sewing and knotting

In this subject area you will dive into the world of sewing and knotting. Here you will be offered a large amount of different courses. For example, you can learn sewing, embroidery, filleting, tying, button making, saddlery and furriery. In total there are over 20 courses waiting for you

Upholstery and stuffing

Here you will learn everything about upholstery. You can participate in a basic course on upholstery or various upholstery projects. There are four different courses in total

Embossing and engraving

In this subject area, you will get a taste of the Appenzell craft of chasing. You can choose between a standard and an intensive course

Restoration and conservation

There are great projects on the subject of restoration and conservation. You bring your own personal object, for example a chair, table or cabinet, and learn how to professionally restore old furniture

Sanding and sawing

In this subject area there are exciting courses such as bow making, vending machine making, carpentry, instrument making and tobacco hoop making. In total, you can look forward to eight different courses.

Forging and welding

You have a wide choice of courses such as forging knives, hammers, hatchets or taster courses on welding or goldsmithing. In 10 different courses you have the opportunity to learn the special crafts.

Carving and turning

In this subject area everything revolves around the raw material wood. Learn how to process wood in various courses. These include carving with a pocket knife, fresh wood turning, wood image making and wood turning and varnishing. There are 14 different courses in total

Writing and cutting

Immerse yourself in the art of writing and cutting and learn the special handling of pen and scissors. Exciting courses such as calligraphy, lettering, scissor cutting and sack painting await you in this subject area. There are five different courses in total

Spinning and twisting

This subject area gives you a great insight into the craft of spinning. You can take four different courses to learn the crafts with thread.

Weaving and braiding

Get a taste of the world of weaving and braiding and make great products. Among other things, you can participate in exciting courses such as ropes, weaving, braiding and bobbin lace

Knowledge and skills

The Knowledge and Skills subject area teaches you various things such as herbalism, making ointments, poultices and compresses, scrying and sharpening knives and scissors. In total, you can look forward to 13 exciting courses.

Swiss Activities Tips for Ballenberg

Allow enough time

The Ballenberg open-air museum extends over 66 hectares. Therefore, bring enough time to be able to visit the entire museum at your leisure. You should plan a whole day for it.

Foxtrail at Ballenberg

Do you feel like a scavenger hunt of a very special kind? The Foxtrail in the open-air museum is an exciting trail. Solve fun riddles and decipher secret messages to get on the right track and track down the fox.

Grand Tour of Switzerland

Take the perfect souvenir photo at the famous Grand Tour photo spot in Ballenberg. Here you have a great view and can collect another Grand Tour of Switzerland photo.

Drugstore

During your visit to Ballenberg, be sure to visit the drugstore with its herb and fragrance garden. You will be delighted with a great selection of teas, liquorice, pastilles, honey and many other healthy products. You can admire the medicinal herb garden here

Restaurants in Ballenberg

You have the possibility to stop at different restaurants in the open-air museum. But you can also get a small snack at various snack stands. In addition, there are many tables and benches that invite you to a cozy picnic in the open air

• Wirthaus Alter Bären: The Wirtshaus Alter Bären is located near the West/Hofstetten entrance and has delicious Swiss cuisine. The building, an old Bernese farmhouse, originates from Rapperswil and was already a restaurant in the century before last. Nowadays there is both a served area and a self-service area
• Gasthaus Degen: The Gasthaus Degen is located directly in the center of the museum. The building dates back to the 19th century and offers a very cozy atmosphere. Many Swiss and European delicacies are waiting for you here.
• Gasthof Wilerhorn: The Gasthof Wilerhorn is located at the entrance East Brienzwiler and is ideal for larger events, group trips, weddings or company parties. But also for a delicious coffee or a delicious Swiss dish a visit to the Wilerhorn Gasthof is worthwhile. Osteria Novazzano: The Osteria Novazzano is located on the estate La Pobbia and offers a very special quiet and romantic ambience. In keeping with this, fine Ticino specialties await you here

Opening hours Ballenberg

The season starts in mid-April and runs until the end of October. During this time the museum is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00. The offered courses take place all year round

Getting to Ballenberg

The Ballenberg Open-Air Museum is located in the Bernese Oberland near Brienz. It's easy to reach by car or public transport.

By Car

You can easily and quickly reach Ballenberg from all directions by car. The simplest routes include the following:

• via Lausanne - Bern - Interlaken - Brienz
• via Zürich - Lucerne - Brünig Pass (a very beautiful and scenic route)
• via Chiasso - Gotthard - Göschenen - Brienz

Parking is available for a fee at both entrances of the museum.

By Public Transport

You can take the Zentralbahn from Lucerne or Interlaken directly to Brienz or the Brünig. From these stations, a bus runs to both museum entrances.

Practical Information

For your visit to the Ballenberg Museum, we have put together some tips for you:

What to pay attention to

• Luggage: There are lockers for small luggage at both entrances. Larger luggage can be stored in a secure room.
• Dogs: Dogs must be kept on a short leash.
• Restrooms: Restrooms are available at both entrances, at the Old Bear Inn, at the Degen Guesthouse, and in the Eastern Central area.
• Weather: The museum offers great activities and exciting exhibitions in any weather. However, it is recommended to wear closed and sturdy shoes, as well as to bring rain gear.

More practical information

• Handcarts: So you don’t have to carry your backpacks all day, there are great wagons available for rent at the entrances.
• Carriage Rides: From mid-May to early October, you can enjoy a cozy carriage ride through the museum grounds.
• Camping/Motorhomes: In Brienzwiler, the eastern entrance of the museum, you can camp daily from 4:00 PM to 10:00 AM the following day with your motorhome.
• Wheelchair: The museum offers the rental of an all-terrain electric wheelchair. This allows people with mobility impairments to visit the museum.

The Open-Air Museum Ballenberg offers a vast range of excellent exhibitions and courses, allowing you to immerse yourself in Switzerland's past.