Bern's 10 Best Contemporary Art Galleries And Museums

The Cerny Inuit Collection is a unique display of contemporary art from Canada, Siberia and the circumpolar regions on both sides of the Bering Strait. Featuring art made from whalebone, stone, and both walrus and mammoth tusks, the collection gives visitors a rare insight into the life and culture of the people who inhabit the polar regions. The impact of nature, tradition, and shamanism upon these works is also revealed. Set up in a renovated garage near the main train station in Bern, this collection is an unusual departure from the majority of the contemporary art galleries in the city.

Kunsthalle Bern was established in 1918 and has been receiving global recognition ever since. Showcasing regional, national, and international art, Kunsthalle organizes new exhibitions each year, featuring either individuals or groups of around six or seven artists. Solo exhibits by contemporary artists such as Paul Klee, in 1935, and Christo, in 1968, brought the gallery to the world’s attention, with exhibitions such as Harald Szeeman’s When Attitudes Become Form still being discussed widely across the art world. The Kunsthalle hopes to present itself as a place for artistic and critical debate and its regular guided tours, lectures, and discussions certainly allow visitors to immerse themselves in the art on display. Kornhausforum | © Raphael Frey/WikiCommons

The Kornhausforum, located in the former granary of Bern’s Old Town, around 300 years old, aims to promote new artistic thinking. Revealing aspects of the Bernese community, both the lives of individuals and the city as a whole, the artwork exhibited here often coincides with cultural events and panel discussions. The Stadtsaal located on the first floor, forms the central space for events which can be rented out for private and public functions. Also in the building are two stylish restaurants, the Kornhauskeller, in an atmospheric and spacious cellar, and the Kornhauscafé on the first floor.

Both a conference center and an art museum, the Zentrum Paul Klee houses the largest collection of the painter’s work with around 4,000 paintings – roughly 40% of his oeuvre. The undulating structure of the building itself was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano. The museum’s themed exhibitions feature a rotating selection of around 120 – 150 works by the artist, while multimedia accompaniments allow each visitor to interact with the pieces and learn about their history. Aside from exhibitions, the museum is an active creative platform for theater, dance, literature and seminars whilst the Kindermuseum Creaviva enables children to get fully involved. Kunstmuseum interior | Courtesy of Kunstmuseum

Bern’s Kunstmuseum is the oldest art museum in the country and, though not exclusively focused on recent and contemporary art, is a must-visit attraction for anyone wishing to experience the best of Switzerland’s capital. With a total of over 3,000 paintings and sculptures, and around 48,000 drawings, photographs, prints, and films in its collection, the museum easily earns its world-class reputation. With works spanning eight centuries; displays featuring the work of Pablo Picasso, Ferdinand Hodler and Meret Oppenheim among many others; and art movements such as impressionism, cubism, and surrealism all represented, the museum could easily occupy an entire day of browsing.

Kunstreich focuses on a variety of contemporary art and graphics as well as providing a restoration service. The gallery downstairs, located in one of the vaulted cellars for which Bern is renowned, has been open since 2003 and, though relatively modest in size, it is still worth visiting. The clean, white-washed walls, stone steps and vaulted ceiling add to the calm atmosphere. The selection of artwork on display is varied and the museum hosts between six to eight exhibitions per year.

In 2010, the Galerie Bernhard Bischoff & Partner moved to its current premises, which used to be an orphanage, near to the Kunstmuseum. A large variety of contemporary artwork is shown here, from photography, installations and films to painting and sculpture. The gallery hopes to stretch beyond the borders of the city to present national and international contemporary artists in proactive and innovative ways. Recent exhibits include the work of the Bernese photographer Caspar Martig, who created a visual history of the gallery with photographs portraying past exhibitions, close-up examinations of the building itself, and visitors enjoying the art on display.

Since 1970, Galerie Henze and Ketterer has been a leading Bernese gallery, specializing in German Expressionism and mid-20th century Gestural Abstraction and Figuration, though it also covers a wider range of contemporary and classical modern art. Additionally, the gallery publishes books and catalogs on sale in its adjoining art bookshop to accompany its exhibitions. Artists such as Daniel Spoerri, Theodor Werner and Giovanni Manfredini have been exhibited here, alongside the gallery’s Ludwig Ernst Kirchner archive. Aside from its exhibitions, the gallery also offers a consulting service for current artists wishing to organize events and collections of their own.

Galerie Martin Krebs was founded in 1968 by Martin Krebs, at a time when Bern was one of the most important art cities in the world due to the influence of Harald Szeemann. A generation of inspired young artists wanted a place to exhibit their work; located in a spacious vaulted cellar, the gallery fulfilled this need and its first solo exhibition was by Jakob Bill. Furthermore, its main exhibition that year, Bern 68, featured work by Bernese artists and was highly acclaimed in the art community. Pop artists Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol are regularly displayed here alongside other international artwork. The focus remains on Swiss art, however, with new artists constantly being discovered and exhibited.

Galerie Rigassi | Courtesy Galerie Rigassi