FONDATION MARTIN BODMER

It's a hymn to books. This museum brings together real marvels, real masterpieces that have survived the centuries and that we are lucky enough to admire. It's a fascinating museum, and a must-see. Martin Bodmer discovered books and the world of libraries thanks to his mother. His first acquisition was an illustrated edition of Shakespeare's The Tempest. Introduced to literature, and passionate about the written word, Martin Bodmer dedicated the rest of his life to selecting the world's best authors in all fields of the written word. The aim is to preserve these works as the common property of mankind: a panorama of human thought that has affected every era since our creation. At first, the 150,000-book private library was reserved for the most erudite of scholars, but Martin Bodmer's philanthropic activities soon spread. In 1971, the Martin Bodmer Foundation was established under private law to ensure the continuity of his work and promote public education. The life's work of this erudite Zurich collector and vice-president of the ICRC is showcased in an exceptional museum and library. The museum, designed by Mario Botta, presents witnesses to the creation of the mind, through all ages and in all parts of the world. The collection includes papyri, manuscripts, incunabula, first editions, unique and rare items, autographs, archaeological finds, sculptures, paintings, tapestries and musical scores. All these works retrace the evolution of humanity's great intellectual and spiritual advances, each object bearing witness to a key moment in the history of civilization. On two floors, among the 200 original pieces on display, we travel the world and the centuries, from Mesopotamia to Greece. Right at the entrance, you'll discover a scribe dating from the time of Ramses II, a precious and rare manuscript on parchment, such as the^5th-century Gospel of Matthew in Coptic, open to the page of the kiss of Judas, one of the world's only copies of the Gutenberg Bible, and many other written treasures. Thanks to the ingenious success of a very modern museography, we learn a great deal, discovering literary works written by the most famous men from the four corners of the globe, from Antiquity to the present day. Captivating, intriguing and incomparably rich, the visit is a must.

Undergoing renovation and modernization until 2025.