Naturmuseum Winterthur, Natural history museum in Winterthur, Switzerland.
The Naturmuseum Winterthur is a natural history museum in the city of Winterthur that displays collections related to nature. The spaces contain exhibits about geology, biology, and paleontology arranged across different exhibition areas.
The collection traces back to the Bürgerbibliothek's cabinet of curiosities, begun in 1660; a three-metre crocodile donated by Bartholomäus Schobinger in 1664 is still displayed. Kept in the Rathaus on Marktgasse until 1842, it moved to the Knabengymnasium and became a separate organisation in 1862. Robert Keller became first curator in 1886, and the museum entered its present building in 1916. Rebuilt from 2001 to 2005 under Hans-Konrad Schmutz, it reopened as Naturmuseum Winterthur and won the Prix Expo in 2006.
The museum presents collections that help people understand how nature and science connect with daily life. The exhibitions share knowledge about animals, plants, rocks, and fossils found in Switzerland and beyond.
You can visit the museum on different days of the week, with varying opening hours depending on when you go. Access for people with limited mobility is available in parts of the building, so it helps to ask in advance about accessibility.
A special section of the museum lets visitors examine and identify their own nature findings with help from specialized equipment and expert staff. This offers an interactive way to explore nature on a personal level.
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