Tickets
Zentrum Paul Klee
Tickets, timing, and how to turn a museum visit into a perfect Bern day
Zentrum Paul Klee is the kind of museum that works in every season: calm, architectural, and perfectly sized for a half-day cultural plan that still leaves time for the Old Town. It holds the world's largest collection of work by Paul Klee—around 4,000 paintings, watercolours and drawings—and houses them inside Renzo Piano's famous three-wave building, where the roofline rises and falls like hills folded into the meadow on Bern's eastern edge. The architecture alone is worth the trip; the art is the bonus.
The one thing to remember: it is closed on Mondays. Build your visit into a Tuesday-to-Sunday slot and the rest takes care of itself.
Tickets & prices
Admission to the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions is CHF 20 for adults. There's a reduced rate of CHF 18 (for AHV-IV and military), CHF 10 for students and apprentices, and CHF 7 for children aged 6 to 16. The nicest detail for families: under-16s get in free on Sundays, which makes a Sunday visit the value pick if you're travelling with kids.
- Adult: CHF 20
- Reduced (AHV-IV, military): CHF 18
- Student / apprentice: CHF 10
- Child (6–16): CHF 7 — free on Sundays
If you're doing several museums, a museum pass or the Swiss Travel Pass can pay for itself quickly—weigh it up using the best museums guide. Temporary exhibitions occasionally carry a different price, so a glance at the official site never hurts before you set out.
Opening hours (and the Monday trap)
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00, and closed every Monday. This catches a surprising number of visitors, because Bern's Old Town is fully walkable on a Monday and it's easy to assume everything else is open too. If your trip only overlaps a Monday, swap in the free, always-open Bear Park or the Botanic Garden instead, and save the Klee for another day.
Getting there from the Old Town
The Zentrum sits on the eastern edge of the city in the Schöngrün meadows, not in the centre—but it's genuinely easy to reach. The simplest route is bus 12, which runs from the heart of town out to the "Zentrum Paul Klee" stop right at the door in roughly 10 to 15 minutes. If you're an overnight guest, this ride is covered by your free Bern Ticket.
On a fine day, the prettier option is to walk: head east through the Old Town to the Rosengarten for the classic skyline view, then carry on out to the museum in about 30 to 40 minutes total. That turns the journey into part of the experience rather than dead time.
A perfect half-day plan
Start: easy transit + museum time
Begin from the Old Town core and take bus 12 out to the museum. Keep the visit focused: walk the permanent Klee galleries first while you're fresh, take a short reset in the foyer or cafe, then do the temporary exhibition. Klee's work rewards slow looking, so don't rush the small watercolours.
Return: Rosengarten + arcades
Walk or ride back via the Rosengarten for the panorama, then drop into the Old Town and follow the arcades — warm and vaulted in winter, terrace-friendly in spring.
Finish: slow dinner
Keep the evening easy with an Old Town dinner—see the best Old Town restaurants for cellar-vaulted spots that feel especially good after a quiet afternoon of art.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth visiting if you're not an art expert?
Yes. The museum is approachable, the wall texts are clear, and the building itself—Renzo Piano's undulating glass-and-steel waves—is part of the experience. It works especially well when paired with a simple, classic Bern walking day.
When is the cheapest time to visit?
If you have children, go on a Sunday, when under-16s enter free. Adults pay the standard CHF 20 any open day. There's no money saved by arriving late, but later afternoons tend to be quieter.
What's a good alternative museum in the city centre?
For a smaller, central stop, consider Einstein House. For lively, interactive exhibits, use the Museum of Communication guide—just note it's also closed Mondays.
Can you visit on a rainy day?
Absolutely—it's one of Bern's best rainy-day anchors. The walk back can stay dry under the Old Town arcades. For more wet-weather ideas, see Bern in the rain.
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