The Swiss Puppet Museum displays a collection of historic and contemporary puppets from Europe, Asia and Africa. Housed in a small building in the Auge district of Fribourg, it also hosts live performances.
Themed museums
Main highlights
- Over 5,000 puppets from around the world : shadow puppets, rod puppets, glove puppets and marionettes
- Puppet shows performed in French in the museum’s theatre by visiting companies
- Play area where children and adults can handle the puppets themselves and make up their own stories
Overview
The museum was founded by Jean Bindschedler (1927-2019), a painter, sculptor and puppet maker, together with Marie-José Aebi. In 1985 it moved into a small house in the Auge district, in Fribourg’s lower town. Jean Bindschedler travelled across several continents to assemble the original collection.
Since then, numerous donations have expanded the collection, which now numbers more than 5,000 pieces. The venue serves a dual purpose : it is both a museum, with a permanent exhibition and temporary exhibitions drawn from its collections, and a live performance venue.
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What to see and do
The exhibition spans several rooms on the first floor. The first traces the life of the founder and the history of the museum. The following rooms showcase antique Chinese and Indian puppets, puppets from Indonesia, theatre and dance masks, paper theatres and shadow theatres. Princes, beggars, old men and animals illustrate the wide range of techniques.
A video area screens excerpts from performances and documentaries. Puppet-making workshops are offered for children and adults, with tailor-made courses for groups. The museum also organises storytelling sessions, torchlight tours and children’s birthday parties.
A specialist library holds several hundred books, mainly in French and German, on the history, making and handling of puppets, along with archives.
Practical information
Getting there : bus no. 4 from Fribourg station, Petit St-Jean stop. By car, park at Planche-Supérieure, then walk via the Pont du Milieu or the Stalden.
Visit duration : about one hour.
Ideal for : families, children, groups and theatre enthusiasts.
On site : the Café de la Marionnette on the ground floor, with a terrace on the banks of the Sarine.
Visitor tips
Check the show schedule before you go : a performance is a great complement to exploring the collections. Guided tours must be booked in advance.
Make the most of your outing by wandering through the medieval Auge district, strolling along the Sarine and crossing the Pont du Milieu and the Pont de Berne.
Nearby attractions
- St. Nicholas Cathedral in Fribourg is a Flamboyant Gothic building with a 74 m tower.
- The Espace Jean Tinguely & Niki de Saint Phalle showcases works of kinetic art and Nouveau Réalisme.
- The Loreto Chapel, built in the 17th century on a hillside, offers views over the old town.
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