Musée Rath

Geneva, Switzerland

The Musée Rath is an art museum in Geneva, used exclusively for temporary exhibitions. It is the oldest purpose-built art museum in Switzerland.

The museum was built between 1824 and 1826 by the architect Samuel Vaucher on behalf of the Société des arts. It was partly paid for with funds that General Simon Rath (1766–1819) had bequeathed to his sisters, Jeanne-Françoise and Henriette Rath, for such a purpose; the remainder was paid by the state of Geneva. Vaucher designed the building as a temple of the muses, inspired by Ancient Greek temples.

At first the museum was used for both permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as art teaching and as a cultural meeting place. By 1880 it had become too small for its collections. Since the opening of the larger Musée d'Art et d'Histoirein 1910, the Musée Rath has been devoted to temporary exhibitions of Swiss and international art, and archaeology.

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Details

Founded: 1824
Category: Museums in Switzerland

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Mona B (4 years ago)
Amazing exhibition, Fred Boissonnas
Marc Desaules (5 years ago)
Mcdrive accessible
novita liangga kumala (5 years ago)
Quite expensive entry (like everything else in Switzerland). Not a really big museum but it was great. There was an exhibition on silence when I visited - the exhibition was awesome. You can bring chair around and there was a locker for your bags and stuff.
Benedict Uy (5 years ago)
Came across the building after walking through Bastion Park. It looked quite nice with the pillars out front. I didn't have time to go inside though.
Balogun Sheindemi (5 years ago)
Lovely place
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