Ballenberg Open Air Museum

Discover Switzerland’s living heritage at Ballenberg, Switzerland’s only open-air museum and the country’s largest, sprawling across 66 hectares in the Bernese Oberland. Each season it draws around 200,000 visitors who come to experience an immersive portrait of Swiss rural life and traditions. Guests can explore the Open-Air Museum in comfort on the new Ballenberg train which connects the museum grounds from east to west, ensuring it it accessible to all.

Everyday Life and Rural Culture
Explore more than 100 authentic rural buildings relocated from across Switzerland, from grand farmhouses to humble workers’ quarters, alpine huts, barns and wash-houses. Carefully dismantled at their original sites and reconstructed at Ballenberg, these structures are furnished to show kitchens, parlours and domestic spaces that reveal daily life in bygone rural Switzerland.

Craftsmanship and Landscape
The museum is a living cultural landscape. Historic gardens, fields, pastures and meadows are recreated according to traditional models and surround the buildings. Skilled craftspeople work on site using traditional tools, and themed exhibits illuminate historic trades and practices. Around 200 native farm animals graze and roam the grounds, adding to the atmosphere and authenticity.

Active Experiences
Ballenberg offers hands-on experiences, themed trails and interactive exhibits for families, groups or individual guests. Guided tours and a digital guide, “Swiss Open-Air Museum Goes Digital,” help  uncover the stories behind each building. 

There is a full programme of events for the 2026 season, starting at Easter, including shearing days, craft markets and Castagnata chestnut festival. 

For guests with a tight schedule, the 60-minute “Pure Swissness” mini-tour offers a short visit to the highlights. Full-day themed packages are also available, including tasting sessions, meals and the chance to try out traditional Swiss handicrafts.