MUDAC is Lausanne’s museum of contemporary design and applied arts, located at Plateforme 10 near the railway station. Its temporary exhibitions and its collection of more than 7,000 objects explore design, glass, textiles and graphic design.
Fine and applied arts museums
Main highlights
- Temporary exhibitions devoted to design, fashion, graphic design and studio ceramics
- Contemporary glass collection among the most important in Switzerland, featuring international artists
- Three museums together at Plateforme 10 with MCBA and Photo Elysée, next to the SBB railway station
Overview
MUDAC was founded in 2000 through the merger of several municipal collections devoted to decorative arts and design. For twenty years, it occupied the Maison Gaudard, a 17th-century building in Lausanne’s historic centre.
In 2022, the museum moved to Plateforme 10, a cultural district developed on the former site of the SBB railway workshops. Its building, designed by architects Aires Mateus, offers 2,500 m² of exhibition space over several levels, with clean-lined volumes lit by carefully controlled natural light.
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What to see and do
The collection includes more than 7,000 pieces from the 20th and 21st centuries : industrial design, art glass, ceramics, textiles and graphic design. The contemporary glass collection illustrates the revival of glassmaking since the 1960s, from glassblowing to fusing. The textile holdings bring together costumes, printed fabrics and fashion creations, displayed on a rotating basis. Furniture, lighting and tableware by named designers complete the collection.
Temporary exhibitions alternate between monographs on artists or designers and thematic shows on sustainability, recycling, materials or digital technology. The museum gives space to young creators and the French-speaking Swiss scene alongside international figures. Talks and workshops offer opportunities to meet designers and makers.
At Plateforme 10, a shared forecourt connects MUDAC with the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts and Photo Elysée, making it possible to visit three museums in a single outing.
Practical information
Getting there : a 2-minute walk from the west exit of Lausanne SBB railway station.
Visit duration : allow 1 to 1.5 hours for a temporary exhibition.
Accessibility : the building is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility, with lifts and adapted toilets.
On site : bookshop and gift shop, restaurant with a terrace on the forecourt, and an auditorium shared across Plateforme 10.
Visitor tips
Check the programme online before your visit, as exhibitions change regularly. With half a day, combine MUDAC with the other two Plateforme 10 museums using the combined ticket, taking a break at the restaurant or on the forecourt.
Nearby
- Photo Elysée, its neighbour at Plateforme 10, is devoted to historical and contemporary photography.
- The MCBA Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne presents its collections and temporary exhibitions.
- The Lausanne Botanical Garden brings together botanical collections, educational spaces and walking paths.
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