Hotels near Swiss National Museum (Landesmuseum)

Housed in a fairytale neo-Gothic castle from 1898 (with a bold contemporary extension added in 2016 by Christ & Gantenbein), the Swiss National Museum is the largest cultural-history museum in the country. Its permanent exhibition traces the story of Switzerland from prehistoric bronze finds through the medieval Confederation and the Reformation to the country's modern industrial rise. Highlights include a full 16th-century Landsknecht armoury, a wall of over 750 pieces of Swiss porcelain, and the reconstructed 15th-century Great Hall from the Kappel monastery.

The temporary exhibitions are consistently strong - past shows have covered Zurich's Reformation, Swiss chocolate history, and the country's role in World War II. Entry is CHF 13, free for under-16s and included in the Zurich Card. Allow at least 2 hours; a full visit takes 3 to 4. The setting is also worth noting: the museum sits on the Platzspitz peninsula where the Sihl river meets the Limmat, a green urban park that was once notorious in the 1980s as Europe's largest open drug scene, since fully reclaimed.

Pro Tip: The museum shop is exceptional for Swiss design books and reproductions. Start on the top floor (Ideas of Switzerland) and work down - the layout makes more sense in reverse than the recommended route.