Hexenmuseum Schweiz

Panorama of: Hexenmuseum Schweiz (c) by Hexenmuseum Schweiz. All rights reserved.
Description [EN]

The exhibition "WITCHES" presents the witch trials in Switzerland and Europe, highlighting their impact on the present day. 

This includes presenting the results of our intensive research on the remaining trial records in Swiss archives and illustrating all aspects that have been and still are associated with the term witch. 

The exhibition opens a window into the history of Swiss folklore and superstition, tells legends, revives the customs of our ancestors, explains the use of amulets and witch plants, and searches for the universal remedy through unconventional early healing methods. Magic and spells are among the oldest records from all regions of the world. With Harry Potter, these have been brought to our awareness again today. But where does the origin of Abracadabra and other hocus pocus lie? 

Health and happiness are central themes in human life. In times of poor medical care, which were also shaped by a worldview that accepted as divinely ordained whatever happened, people had little rational opposition to threatening life situations. Besides prayers, religious customs, and rituals, a variety of plants, minerals, fossils, animals, and animal products were used for healing purposes as well as to influence personal fate, protect against countless dangers to body and soul, ward off witches and demons, and prevent natural disasters. 

The Witch Museum Switzerland offers a neutral yet professional framework to engage with these exciting topics and gather information. 

The Witch Museum Switzerland is the only one of its kind in German-speaking Europe. 
Our collection includes over 1,300 exhibits related to the theme. 
Witches still appear to us in everyday life through our language today, with expressions like "it´s not rocket science" or "I can´t work miracles," "as if by magic," which we all know and use. The "witch hunt" and the rather unfriendly term for a certain type of women as "weather witches" are still common. Anyone plagued by "witches´ shot" and wondering what it´s like "if the devil is in it" and where the name "Black Peter" comes from must delve into the time of the witch trials. 

Many customs are still maintained today without knowing their meaning or origin. Or do you know why we clink glasses, wear red underwear on New Year´s, should never open an umbrella indoors, why black cats and Friday the 13th are supposedly unlucky, and why we wish each other good luck with "toi, toi, toi"? 
A look into history opens up many connections, promotes understanding of the origins of various terms and our worldly conception. Encountering our past allows for a critical appreciation of achievements.

Services

Adult

Diverse Seminar- und Workshops gemäß separatem Kursprogramm

Car parking

Bitte benutzen Sie den Schlossparkplatz unterhalb des Schlosses für Besucher

Bus parking

vorhanden

Connection public transport

S14 ab Aarau, Station Bleien - Liebegg

wardrobe

ohne Aufsicht

WiFi

Ja

Publicly accessible library / archive / study rooms

Nur gegen Voranmeldung

Cafe/Restaurant

Museums Café für Besucher im Sommer im beschilderten Kräutergarten auf der Terrasse. Im Winter bleibt das Café geschlossen.

Museumsshop

Unser zauberhafter Museumsshop ist zu den Museums Öffnungszeiten frei zugänglich

Event room / lecture rooms (rentable)

Diverse Angebote

Guided tours and group offers

Privatführungen am Mittwoch Nachmittag um 14.00 Uhr, gegen Voranmeldung/VereinbarungGruppenführungen (Minimum 5) bis maximal 10 Personen, während den regulären Öffnungszeiten.Preis für die Führung Fr. 150.00 plus reduzierter Eintritt von Fr. 12.00 pro Person.Der Gesamtbetrag wird von einer Person bezahlt. Privatführung für Gruppen, ausserhalb der Öffnungszeiten, gegen Voranmeldung/Vereinbarung.(Mi Abend ab 17.00 Uhr, an den zwei offenen Sonntagen im Monat um 12:00h)(Minimum 5 Personen)

Accessibility

Access with ramp

No

Guidance system for visually impaired people, Tactile / acoustic map

No

Entrance soil indicators

No

Marking of step edges

No

Access stairless

No

Access with ramp

No

Elevator with tactile font / announcement

No

Disabled toilet

Yes

Labeling in pictograms

No

Inscription in braille

No

Print medium in braille inscription / large print

No

Tactile / audio tours

Yes

Guided tours in sign language

No

Tactile flooring system

No

Additional information on Accessibility

Da es sich um ein historisches Gebäude (Schloss) mit Bauten aus unterschiedlichen Jahrhunderten handelt, die allesamt unter Denkmalschutz stehen, ist es vorläufig nicht möglich Anpassungen in der Barrierefreiheit zu schaffen.