The Laténium, in Hauterive on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel, traces 50,000 years of prehistory and history through regional excavations. Explore an interactive permanent exhibition, then an open-air archaeological park with remains and reconstructions.
Archaeological museums
Main highlights
- Largest archaeology museum in Switzerland, with more than 525,000 objects
- 2,200 m² permanent exhibition in eight stages, from the Palaeolithic to the Renaissance
- 3-hectare archaeological park with free access on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel
Overview
The Laténium takes its name from the site of La Tène, which gave its name to the Celtic culture of the late Iron Age. The museum stands on a site where three prehistoric deposits were discovered and excavated before it was built.
Its collections, comprising more than 525,000 items, come mainly from finds made in the canton of Neuchâtel, particularly during construction of the A5 motorway. These regional assemblages serve as an international reference and illustrate nearly 50,000 years of European prehistory.
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What to see and do
The permanent exhibition “HIER, entre Méditerranée et Mer du Nord” (Yesterday, between the Mediterranean and the North Sea) spans 2,200 m² in eight chronological stages, from the Renaissance back to Palaeolithic hunters’ camps. The displays combine sounds, colours and shapes. Mini-laboratories, educational games, films and scale models accompany the tour.
The 3-hectare archaeological park offers views of the Alps, the La Tène site and Mont Vully. Here you can see authentic remains : a Roman water channel, cup-marked stones, a Celtic well and the Plant de Rives dolmen. Reconstructions complete the ensemble : Bronze Age lake dwellings, a Hallstatt-period burial mound and a Gallo-Roman boat.
The Totemi app lets you explore the park in a fun way, and a playground overlooking the lake keeps children entertained.
Practical information
Getting there : in Hauterive, 3 km from Neuchâtel city centre. Take the train to Neuchâtel, then bus 101 towards Marin, stop “Musée d’archéologie”. By boat from Neuchâtel, stop at Hauterive harbour, in about 15 minutes.
Visit duration : allow at least 2 to 3 hours for the museum and the park.
On site : café with lake views, audio guides in several languages, playground.
Visitors : families and groups, with guided tours available on booking.
Visiting tips
Start with the indoor exhibition to better understand the context of the outdoor reconstructions. With children, the card game “Ma petite collection du Laténium” turns the visit into an archaeological quest. Arriving by boat from Neuchâtel is a pleasant way to approach the site.
This place is part of the selection The top 10 indoor activities for children in French-speaking Switzerland.
Nearby attractions
- The Neuchâtel Botanical Garden, in the Ermitage valley, combines nature and scientific collections.
- The Neuchâtel Museum of Art and History features Impressionist paintings and 18th-century automata.
- Valangin Castle, a medieval fortress on a promontory, was the residence of the Lords of Valangin.
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