Timing: The museum is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm. It is closed on Mondays for visitors.
Location:
Basel is located in the Rhine valley in Paul Sacher- Anlage
Entry Fees: The entry fee of children under 16 years of age who are accompanied by an adult person is free. Students and disabled persons have to pay about 12 CHF. Entry fee for adults is 12 CHF and for a group, more than 12 persons are 12 CHF. If you have Museums pass Musee and Swiss Museum Pass, you will get a free entry. Also, if you have a Basel card, you will get a 50 percent discount on museum admission.
History of Jean Tinguely Museum
Jean Tinguely was one of the most prominent and innovative Swiss artists back in the 20th century. This museum is a habitat of all his work over four decades presented with an eccentric touch of kinetics and arts.
The museum was established back in 1996 and along with the work of Jean Tinguely, the museum also houses other art contemporaries of the 20th and 21st centuries like Yves Klien, Marcel Duchamp, Niki de Saint Phalle, Arman and more.
Since the practice of Jean Tinguely’s work was largely based on machines, the functional process of kinetics and apparatus in motion; the sculptors were created as a beautiful crossover with art and science. All the sculptors present in the museum can be set in motion with a button attached to them on the side. This is one of the world’s largest museums in the world that possess modern sculptors that can be set in motion.
The Architecture of the Jean Tinguely Museum
The building of the Jean Tinguely Museum is designed methodically to refurnish the urban void between the 20th century and modern architecture. The design embraces the adjacent park while the river Rhine forms a perfect outer border of the city and the rectangular shape of the museum forms a specific surrounding space.
The southern part of the architecture elongates the suspended section which is detached from the body of the building. As soon as the visitor enters the building, the promenade prepares them to form a connection between the contexts of the art.
Inside the building, there’s a massive space filled with natural light that falls in fascinating configurations across the different exhibition floors. As per its outward appearance, the structure of the building seems compact but the insides are more modular and flexible, rich in longitudinal designs.
There are a total of three levels of exhibition spaces above the ground level and all these levels act as a sound barrier against the green spaces. The interior of the building comes with a static support system which is coordinated with an underground reservoir that existed prior to the building.
Collections at Jean Tinguely Museum
Jean Tinguely Museum consists of the world’s biggest collection of modernist sculptures by artists which can be set into motion with a mere push of a button. Not only Tinguely’s work but the museum houses the artwork of many artists whose practices have been connected to Tinguely’s work throughout their career.
The kinetic fountain situated in the middle of the garden adjacent to the museum is the heart of the museum. There are also some collections that include artworks from various painters, filmmakers, sculptors like Yves Klien, Niki de Saint Phalle and more.
The collections draw inspiration from all periods of his career and his fellow contemporaries. There are also tons of drawings, documents, exhibition posters, documentation, letter-drawings catalogs, photographs and more.
Bistro Restaurant at Jean Tinguely Museum
Bistro Restaurant is a stunning restaurant situated right across the river in the backside of the Jean Tinguely Museum. The restaurant hosts a small but fantastic menu with a blend of Swiss and German cuisine. The ambiance is gorgeous with interiors filled with posters related to the Tinguely museum.
There’s both indoor and outdoor terrace seating with a splendid view of the river. Few of the most popular dishes of the restaurant are Caprese salad, chicken steak, and risotto. Bistro restaurant is definitely worth a visit to have a delicious lunch and a pleasant experience.
Travelers Tips for visiting the Jean Tinguely Museum
- The Jean Tinguely museum is closed on Mondays and other holidays like Christmas Eve, Christmas day, Swiss National day and St. Stephen’s day. So plan your trip accordingly.
- You can put your belongings like bags by paying CHF2 in a locker located on the second floor.
- Take about 2 to 3 hours to explore the whole museum.
