Musée Rath (Rath Museum), Geneva

The Rath Museum, situated in Geneva, serves as an art museum exclusively dedicated to hosting temporary exhibitions. This museum holds the distinction of being Switzerland's oldest purpose-built art museum, originally housing Geneva's Museum of Art and History
(Musée d'Art et d'Histoire). Positioned at Place Neuve, it stands in front of the historical city walls, adjacent to the Grand Théâtre, and in close proximity to the Music Conservatory (Conservatoire de Musique).

Constructed between 1824 and 1826 by architect Samuel Vaucher on behalf of the Société des arts, the museum's funding came in part from the bequest of General Simon Rath (1766–1819) to his sisters, Jeanne-Françoise and Henriette Rath, specifically for this purpose. The remaining costs were covered by the state of Geneva. Vaucher's design for the building drew inspiration from Ancient Greek temples, evoking a sense of a sanctuary dedicated to the muses.

From 1826 to 1872, the basement of the Rath Museum housed the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Genève. Initially, the museum served dual roles, hosting both permanent and temporary exhibitions, while also facilitating art education and functioning as a cultural hub. However, by 1880, it had outgrown its space due to its expanding collections.

Following the opening of the larger Museum of Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire) in 1910, the Rath Museum transitioned to exclusively hosting temporary exhibitions featuring Swiss and international art, along with archaeological displays. During the years 1916 to 1919, the museum temporarily closed as the building was repurposed to house the International Prisoners-of-War Agency of the Red Cross.

Since 1851, the Rath Museum has been owned by the city of Geneva, and it has been under the management of cultural heritage preservation since 1921.