Swiss Alpine Museum, Bern

Dedicated to the nature and culture of the Swiss Alps, this museum moved into its current premises on Helvetiaplatz in 1933. It displays exhibits concerning the geology, tectonics, glaciology, meteorology, flora, fauna, cartography, agriculture, folklore, settlement, alpinism, tourism, winter sports, endangerment and protection of or in the Alps, as well as visual art relating to the Alps. Its collection, which is registered as a cultural property of national significance, contains some 20,000 objects, 160,000 photographs, 600 prints and 180 paintings by artists such as Ferdinand Hodler, and the world's largest collection of raised-relief maps. Visitors can tour a permanent exhibition of selected objects labeled in German, French, Italian and English, as well as temporary exhibitions concerning specific aspects of the museum's scope.

Why You Should Visit:
The displays really provide a very good survey of paintings of the Swiss Alps in a wide range of styles and there is an interactive feature that allows you to study the collection by time period, location, subject, and even gender of the artist.