International Museum of Horology
International Museum of Horology, Technology museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
The International Museum of Horology houses over 4,000 timepieces ranging from ancient sundials to modern atomic clocks within a distinctively designed building. The collection traces the complete evolution of timekeeping technology from antiquity to the present day.
Founded in 1974, the museum grew from the watchmaking school that began collecting historical timepieces for teaching in 1865. This institutional continuity reflects how timekeeping became central to the region's economic and cultural development.
Timekeeping craftsmanship shaped the identity of this region for centuries, making precision engineering a source of community pride. The collections show how this tradition remains woven into local life and values.
The museum is open on most weekdays, and visitors should allow sufficient time to explore the extensive collection at a leisurely pace. Comfortable shoes are recommended, as moving through the different exhibition areas involves walking across multiple floors.
Visitors can observe the internal workings of timepieces through magnified displays, revealing how tiny gears interact to measure seconds and hours. This close-up encounter with hidden mechanisms is rarely found in other museums and offers genuine insight into horological engineering.
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