Cultural Trail around the Nations Area

The museums along the walk are described in a user-friendly way. You can download the printable version of the Trail at the bottom of the page or listen to the audio guides below, which include a special interview with a representative from each institution that takes you to the heart of the collections.

Pratical Informations

• The trail: Walking the trail should take 60min (not including museum visits);
• Departure :The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum. Arrival : Place Albert-Thomas;
• Access : public Public transport, Cars or Bicycle;
• Wifi : Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques (Villa le Chêne), History of Science Museum, La Perle du Lac Restaurant. 

Cultural Trail - Nations

Geneva Museum hopping in the Nations district

The Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

The Conservatory and Botanical Gardens are a real open-air museum: they extend over an area of 28 hectares and feature a collection of 16,000 species from all over the world.

Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques (CJBG)
Chemin de l'Impératrice 1
1292 Chambésy-Genève
Tel. +41 22 418 51 00
Open daily
8.00 - 19.30 in summer (1 April-24 October)
9.30 - 17.00 in winter (25 October-31 March)

Museum of the Swiss Abroad

Through a collection of objects, portraits, uniforms, weapons, engravings, souvenirs, paintings and documents this enchantingly situated museum tells the stories of Swiss figures, who have left their mark on the world.

Domaine des Penthes
Chemin de l'Impératrice 18
1292 Prégny
Tel. +41 22 734 90 21
Open February to December
Tuesdays to Sundays, 10.00 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 17.00

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

As the birthplace of the Red Cross, Geneva is home to the only museum dedicated to the work of its founder Henry Dunant. The new permanent exhibition offers a thematic presentation: Defending Human Dignity, Restoring Family Links and Reducing Natural Risks.

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
Avenue de la Paix 17
1202 Genève
Tel. +41 22 748 95 11
Open Tuesday - Sunday
1 April to 31 October 10.00 - 18.00
1 November to 31 March 10.00 - 17.00

The Ariana Museum

With its rich collection of over 25,000 pieces, the Ariana Museum - the Swiss Museum of Ceramics and Glass - is the only one of its kind today in Switzerland and one of the most important in Europe in its field.

Ariana Museum
Avenue de la Paix 10
1202 Genève
Tel. +41 22 418 54 50
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10.00 – 18.00

The League of Nations Museum

We now understand the international and transnational history of the inter-war period to be critical in dealing with our contemporary world. This museum exhibits fascinating elements from the original archives of the League of Nations (1920-1946), inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

Palais des Nations
Avenue de la Paix
1202 Genève
Entrance at the Prégny gate, opposite the ICRC
A guided thematic tour on the "history" of the Palais des Nations, including the Museum (duration: 1 1/2 hours) is offered by the UN Visitor's Service.
Réservations at +41 22 917 48 96 or at visit-gva(at)unog.ch

Museum of the History of Science

Unique in Switzerland, the History of Science Museum houses a collection of historic scientific instruments from the studies of Genevan scholars from the 17th to the 19th century.

Museum of the History of Science
Parc de la Perle du Lac
Route de Lausanne 128
Tel. +41 22 418 50 60
Open Wednesday to Monday 10.00 - 17.00