The Musée de l’Hôtel-Dieu in Porrentruy occupies an 18th-century former hospital, in use from 1765 to 1956. Inside, you’ll discover a historic pharmacy, a treasury of Gothic goldsmith work and collections devoted to watchmaking, printmaking and photography.
Regional and local museums
Main highlights
- 1846 pharmacy preserved in its original state, with some 240 antique jars and pots
- Treasury of the Church of Saint-Pierre, the most important collection of Gothic goldsmith work in the Jura
- 1765 building listed in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National Significance
Overview
In the heart of Porrentruy’s old town, the museum occupies the former civic hospital, in use from 1765 to 1956. The building was constructed under the direction of Pierre-François Paris, architect to the last Prince-Bishops of Basel. Its central bay in dressed stone houses a double staircase, and a wrought-iron gate by Jean-Georges Fromknecht closes off the main courtyard.
The museum was founded in 1949, after the Municipality purchased the print collection and library of Professor Gustave Amweg. Initially housed in the Villa Merguin, it moved to the Hôtel-Dieu in the 1960s. The building was restored between 1987 and 1996. The museum’s mission is to safeguard the artistic and historical heritage of the Jura.
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What to see and do
The centrepiece is the pharmacy, included in the 1765 plans and fitted out in 1846 by cabinetmaker Jean-Baptiste Carraz. Five rows of maple shelves hold some 240 glass and porcelain jars and pots. The nursing sisters used it until 1956.
The Treasury room brings together the liturgical objects of the Church of Saint-Pierre, in Gothic, Baroque and Historicist styles. Three late 15th-century works by Basel goldsmith Georges Schongauer form the most important collection of Gothic goldsmith work in the Jura.
The print room holds Albert Perronne’s photographic collection (more than 28,000 items), the lithographic archive of the Imprimerie Frossard and the Jean Gressot collection. A watchmaking room and a jewel-setters’ workshop recall one of the region’s key industries. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions on Jura society, history and art.
Practical information
Getting there : the museum is about a 7-minute walk from the SBB railway station and the bus station.
Reduced mobility : a reserved parking space and step-free access are available at the rear of the building, on the Rue de l’Eglise side.
Visit duration : allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the collections.
On site : an audio guide is available.
Visitor tips
Take your time in the pharmacy to admire the maple furniture and the variety of containers. The audio guide provides explanations for each space.
Combine your visit with a stroll through the old town, former capital of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel, with its fountains, the Church of Saint-Pierre and the castle.
Nearby
- The Church of St-Pierre is one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in the canton of Jura.
- The Jurassica Museum showcases fossils and dinosaur footprints from the Jura.
- Porrentruy Castle, perched on its rocky spur, tells the story of the Prince-Bishops of Basel.
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