Experience Swiss viticulture up close: the best museums for wine fans

The Aargau Cantonal Wine Museum in Tegerfelden showcases the entire world of Aargau wine. More than 1,000 exhibits shed light on the history, viticulture, technology, pressing, wine-growing regions, wine-making businesses and varieties of wine. The museum was built in the former Wiss-Trotte, a traditional building used for pressing grapes. Today, the house still houses unique artefacts from the past, such as a fully equipped cooperage.

The Local History and Viticulture Museum in Spiez is dedicated to the local history of Spiez and viticulture in the region. Visitors will learn a great deal about winemaking and the crafts of yore. The local history museum is housed in a typical Simmental house dating from 1728. A fully furnished cooper's workshop can be viewed in the basement. A permanent exhibition on viticulture is on display on the upper floor.

The Vineyard Museum ‘Hof’ is located in Ligerz on Lake Biel. Tools, bottles, equipment and other objects associated with viticulture are exhibited in the historic building. Since the early 1960s, a handful of people interested in history have been systematically collecting tools and objects from the region's vineyards and wine-making industry.

The wine museum in Chur is called Torculum and looks back on 2000 years of viticulture. The ancient Romans brought vines from the south to the region. The Torkel, built in 1582, houses the largest grape press in eastern Switzerland. It has been a wine museum since 1984. Advance registration is required to visit.

The Musée de la vigne et du vin in Boudry Castle is dedicated to the history of viticulture in the Neuchâtel region. Visitors can discover old wine presses, a collection of labels, an impressive wine cellar with paintings showing scenes from the daily life of winegrowers, as well as objects that highlight the economic role that viticulture played in the Neuchâtel region.

The Museum of the Schaffhausen Blauburgunderland in the wine-growing town of Hallau presents the history of viticulture in the region. The tour of the former farmhouse focuses on vineyard work, pressing and winemaking. With a winter workshop, cooperage, distillery, vine nursery and a bottle collection, as well as many interactive presentations, viticulture over the centuries up to the present day is presented.

The Matasci winery in Tenero is home to the Matasci Wine Museum, which is located in an old vaulted cellar and forges a link between the past and the present. The museum bears witness to the history and culture of winemaking in Ticino from the end of the 19th century to the mid-20th century. The explanatory panels provide information in Italian and German.

The Vinorama Museum in Ermatingen is located in the stately home and business premises of a family with a history in viticulture and wine trading. The lavishly restored villa showcases the grand lifestyle around 1900. The history of viticulture at Untersee is presented in the former stables, among other things.

The Musée de la Vigne, du Vin et de l'Étiquette at Château d'Aigle pays tribute to the work of the winegrowers and the landscapes they have created. Various themed areas introduce the public to the world of vines and wine in an innovative and interactive way.

The Lavaux Vinorama wine centre presents the Lavaux vineyard and its wines. The terraced vineyards of Lavaux are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the centre's mission is to promote the values of this exceptional wine region.

The Valais Museum of Wine and Vineyards comprises two exhibition sites in Sierre and Salgesch, which are connected by a six-kilometre-long vineyard trail. While the permanent exhibition in Salgesch introduces visitors to the ancient art of mountain viticulture in Valais, Sierre hosts themed temporary exhibitions.

The new temporary exhibition (8 March to 30 November 2025) is called Destination Wine and compares Valais with other wine-growing regions in the world.

The Wine Museum on Lake Zurich is located on the Au peninsula near Wädenswil and offers insights into the history of viticulture from Roman times to the present day. In addition to the museum, there is an extensive collection of varieties and a show garden with over 40 training systems. Wines from the Lake Zurich region can be tasted on site.