Gruyères Tibet Museum

The basics

The museum showcases one of the world’s largest private collections of Buddhist art, and features fascinating finds covering Buddhist iconography, shiny gold statuettes, antique furniture, and textiles; all of which are described in detail on the museum’s interactive guide, which you can download to your smartphone using a QR code.

While the Tibet Museum is a hidden gem, it’s also small, so doesn’t feature in tour itineraries. However, many day trips from cities such as Lausanne or Geneva include free time in the village of Gruyere. Alternatively, you can secure your admission with the Swiss Travel Pass.

Things to know before you go

• The Tibet Museum works well for a spontaneous visit as it’s rarely busy. Just buy your tickets when you enter.

• Combined tickets are available for both the Tibet Museum and the nearby Chateaux Gruyères.

• Discounted tickets are available for children under the age of 16, although there’s not so much to interest smaller children here.

• The museum is dimly lit for preservation reasons.

• The museum is not wheelchair-accessible.

How to get there

The Tibet Museum is tucked away in the Chapel of St. Joseph in Gruyères’ medieval heart. As the village is pedestrianized, the only way to reach it is on foot. From the train station, the walk uphill to the village is a little steep, but only takes around 15 minutes. Otherwise, the closest parking lot is Gruyères’ Parking P1 Chavonne, which is just a few minutes away by foot.

When to get there

From Easter to October, the Tibet Museum is open daily from late morning through early evening. Outside of these slightly busier peak months, the museum is open at the same times on the weekends, closed on Mondays, and open only in the afternoons on other weekdays. Dedicate around an hour to explore.

Nearby sights: The HR Giger Museum

Right next door in Gruyères’ Château de St-Germain is another astonishing find: the HR Giger Museum. Full of sci-fi models, set designs, and surrealist paintings by the late Swiss artist himself, the museum is well worth a visit to complement a trip to the Tibet Museum. Just be aware that some of its artwork isn’t suitable for young kids.