Set in the Maison Baillivale, in the heart of the old town, the Vevey Historical Museum traces the history of this Lake Geneva town. Across three floors, you discover its urban, craft and social past, from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.
History museums
Main highlights
- History of Vevey told from the Middle Ages to the 20th century through more than 25,000 objects
- Reconstructed interiors from the 18th and 19th centuries, including a kitchen and a middle-class drawing room
- Maison Baillivale, former residence of the Bernese bailiffs with medieval origins
Overview
The Vevey Historical Museum occupies the Maison Baillivale, one of the oldest buildings in town, whose origins date back to the 12th century. A former residence of the Bernese bailiffs, the building retains its thick walls, exposed-beam ceilings and spiral staircase.
The museum was founded in 1897 by the Société du Musée historique de Vevey. It holds more than 25,000 objects and shows how the small market town grew into a prosperous city thanks to trade, crafts, winegrowing, industry and tourism.
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What to see and do
The reconstructed Vevey interiors from the 18th and 19th centuries are among the highlights of the visit. The period kitchen features a large fireplace and its copper utensils. The middle-class drawing room brings together regional furniture, paintings and decorative objects belonging to the town’s wealthy families.
The collections recall the trades that made Vevey’s reputation : pewter by local craftsmen, winegrowers’ tools, merchants’ measuring instruments, and equipment of the brotherhoods and guilds. One room is dedicated to indiennes, the printed fabrics that made the fortune of local manufactories in the 18th century.
Other display cases feature silverware, antique weapons, traditional costumes, engravings, photographs and archive documents on the town’s urban and social development. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions on local history, accompanied by guided tours and workshops.
Practical information
Getting there : Vevey station is a 10-minute walk away, and the “Vevey-Vieille Ville” bus stop is 2 minutes away. A car park is located close by.
Visit duration : about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Accessibility : some rooms can only be reached via narrow staircases. Visitors with reduced mobility should contact the museum before their visit.
On site : audio guides available at reception and free discovery booklets for children.
Visiting tips
If you’re visiting with children, ask for the discovery booklet, which turns the visit into a treasure hunt. Head up to the terrace for views over the rooftops and Lake Geneva.
Afterwards, continue exploring the old town, with its cobbled lanes, historic fountains and old buildings.
Nearby
- The Musée Jenisch presents five centuries of paintings, drawings and prints in a neoclassical setting.
- The Alimentarium explores food through interactive exhibitions and workshops, on the shores of Lake Geneva.
- Chillon Castle is a medieval fortress set on the shores of Lake Geneva.
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