Switzerland’s third largest city is renowned for Art Basel, the international art fair circled on every art lover and collector’s calendar. Acclaimed by the New York Times as “The Olympics of the Art World,” Art Basel, created in the disco ’70s, has spawned art fairs worldwide. But this exhibition is the original with an electric energy that delights even visitors not looking to purchase a Hockney or Basquiat.

Basel’s Creativity is in Play All Year Round

Spend a few days here and realize how deserving Basel is of its title “Cultural Capital” of Switzerland. Basel has the highest density of museums in Europe with art for all tastes including kinetic sculptures at the Tinguely Museum and satire at the Cartoon Museum.

Include the glassy, brick-trimmed Renzo Piano-designed Fondation Beyeler for conceptual and crowd-pleasing museum exhibitions. On display until January 2025, view the serene and vibrant quality of Matisse’s paintings at the first Swiss show dedicated to the artist in decades.

At the Kunstmuseum Basel gaze at Renaissance art masterpieces. Extraordinary works by Hans Holbein “the Younger,” purchased by the municipality in the 17th century, make this one of the world’s earliest public collections.

More Art? Yes Please, and Wine

Savour Rhine Valley wines on a fabulous Wine and Art Basel E-Bike tour. Pedal over mostly flat terrain offering sumptuous views of three countries (Switzerland, Germany and France). Make a stop at the Vitra Design Museum and see public art installations along the way.

On a city stroll, you’ll view modern architecture including one of the buildings that garnered a prestigious Pritzker Prize, the highest honour in the field. No surprise that Basel is home to the Swiss Architecture Museum.

A Blend of Historic and Modern

Historical Basel and its Renaissance and Gothic architecture await in the Old Town. Explore the awe-inspiring Minster Cathedral built between the 11th and 15th centuries. Visit it via the Mittlere Brücke (Middle Bridge), one of the oldest bridges in Basel, crossing the Rhine. But don’t be surprised if a contemporary art installation appears on the bridge. The Mittlere often becomes another art space springing to life a fine-looking mix of Basel old and new.

Did You Know?

You could exhibit your own “collection” at a local museum. A compact window in the door of a 600-year-old house in Old Town houses the smallest museum you might ever see. Pants Pocket Museum (Hooseagg Museum) houses temporary collections of miniature stuff that could fit in a pants pocket. Think Pez dispensers, sunglasses, doorbells. Anyone with a collection of 30 items or more can exhibit at the Pants Pocket Museum.