Did you know that you can visit museums and parks in Zurich for free? Well, here is a list of museums and parks in Zurich that are free to visit. Most of the museums offer free admission every day, except for one museum that allows free admission on a limited basis each week. If you would like to discover more about animals, plants, and more without spending much money, then you’ve come to the right place.
In no particular order, here is a list of all the free museums and parks in Zurich and the surrounding areas. Enjoy this list!
1. Paleontological Museum of the University of Zurich
In close proximity to the University of Zurich and the University Hospital of Zürich is the Paleontological Museum. Admission is always free, except for Mondays when it’s closed. Guided group tours are also available, but this one does not come for free.
A collection of marine reptiles and fish from the middle Triassic period is housed at the Paleontological Museum of the University of Zurich. The Triassic period was approximately 235 to 245 million years ago.
The museum’s core collection consists of both these ancient fossils, as well as fossils discovered on Monte San Giorgio in the Lugano Prealps. In 2003, UNESCO designated Monte San Giorgio as a World Heritage Site because it contains the best-known records of marine life in the Middle Triassic period, along with evidence of fossil invertebrates and dinosaurs.
Moreover, the Paleontological Museum houses the fossil collection of Johann Jakob Scheuchzer, a national scientist from Zurich.
You can reach the Paleontological Museum of Zurich by taking tram lines 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 to ETH/Universitätsspital.
2. Anthropological Museum of the University of Zurich
An interesting museum that you can visit in Zurich for free is the Anthropological Museum. “Traces of Our Ancestors” displays various human species from the past 3.5 million years – our modern-day ancestors. Among them are the Australopithecus afarensis, Australopithecus sediba, the Homo erectus, and the Homo neanderthalensis.
The museum is open daily from noon until 5:00 PM. The entrance is free.
You can reach the Anthropological Museum by taking tram lines 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 to Universität Irchel. It is a 4 to 5-minute walk from there through Irchel Park.
3. Langenberg Wildlife Park
Though not entirely within Zurich city limits, the Wildnispark Zurich Langenberg is definitely worth visiting. Admission is free at Wildnispark Zurich Langenberg. The eastern part of the animal park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The western section of the park is open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Wild animals at Langenberg Wildlife Park are kept in enclosures that closely resemble their natural habitat so they can live as close as possible to their natural environment. Langenberg is home to 19 mammals, including the European brown bear, the European moose, the Eurasian lynx, the Red fox, the Alpine marmot, the Fallow deer, and more.
You can reach the Wildnispark Zurich Langenberg by taking the bus line 240 to Langnau a.A., Schwerzi Wildpark.
If you would like to read more about Wildnispark Zurich Langenberg, you can check out Wildnispark Zürich Langenberg: What’s It Like?
4. Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zurich
Near Talstrasse and Pelikanstrasse in the Old Botanical Garden, you will find the Ethnographic Museum. The museum offers a fascinating look at how people lived in the past and around the world through free exhibits of ethnographic objects. Museum admission is free every day except for Mondays when it is closed.
Studying ethnography is basically studying anthropology and culture. Thus, you will consider cultural and social phenomena, materials, behavior, as well as technical skills. Cultural heritage is preserved and explored in the museum.
The museum’s collections include Indian cult objects from the Americas, ceramics from China and Japan, sculptures from the polar regions, Balinese and Sumatran collections, religious objects from the Himalayas, and many more.
You can reach the Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zurich by taking tram lines 2 or 9 to Sihlstrasse.
5. focusTerra – Earth and Science Discovery Center of ETH Zurich
Another free museum to visit in Zurich is the Earth and Science Discovery Center of the ETH Zurich. This museum, also referred to as focusTerra, focuses on the geology of the planet. It shows, for instance, how earthquakes are triggered, what volcanoes are, and how the Alps were formed. Various media sources are complemented by period archives.
The permanent exhibitions include:
- Archives of the earth – rocks, glaciations, river deposits, fossils, climate changes, landscape of Zurich
- Treasures of the earth – crystals, minerals, gemstones
- Dynamics of the earth – solar system, earth, moon, meteorites, plate tectonics, volcanoes, mountains
- Reliefs
- Media Stations – climate change, earthquakes, energy sources, mineral sources
You can reach focusTerra by taking tram lines 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 to ETH/Universitätsspital.
If you would like to read more about focusTerra, you can check out our article Explore Focus Terra Museum – for Free!
6. Zurich Succulent Plant Collection
The Zurich Succulent Plant Collection or Sukkulenten-Sammlung Zurich is open to the public for free and fascinating to see, despite its size. You will find the Zurich Succulent Plant Collection, one of Switzerland’s finest succulent collections, along the Mythenquai near the lake of Zurich.
Zurich Succulent Plant Collection contains more than 4,500 species from 78 plant families. These plants are native to dry areas and are able to store water for a long time. Besides cacti, it also includes agaves, aloes, and thick-leaf plants. Since 1931, it has been one of the largest and most important succulent collections in Switzerland.
Guided tours can be provided by appointment. You can reach the Zurich Succulent Plant Collection by taking bus lines 161 or 165 to Sukkulentensammlung.
If you would like to read more about the Zurich Succulent Plant Collection, you can check out Here’s a look at the Zurich Succulent Plant Collection.
7. Kunsthaus Zurich
Unlike all the other museums and parks on this list, Kunsthaus Zurich is not always free. Free admission only takes place every Wednesday for everyone. Otherwise, children until 16 years old can come for free, as well as selected students, ICOM, and KulturLegi members.
It may not be as large as the Louvre in Paris, but Kunsthaus Zurich is still worth visiting. The art museum in the heart of Zurich features works by well-known artists. You can see works by Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, and Andy Warhol at this art museum. You can also find temporary exhibits and children’s workshops here.
You can reach Kunsthaus Zurich by taking tram lines 3, 5, 8, 9, and 11 or bus lines 31 and 33 to Kunsthaus.
8. Botanical Garden Zurich
The Botanical Garden is another free activity you can do in Zurich. The 5.6 hectares of gardens here showcase the Mediterranean and Alpine plants. The grounds feature large trees, meadows, greenhouses, ponds, a herb garden, a crop garden, and a shaded terrace. It’s an excellent activity in Zurich. The best part is that it is completely free.
The Botanical Garden is home to more than 7,000 species of plants.
You can reach the Botanical Garden of Zurich by taking the bus line 77 to Botanischer Garten.
9. Zoological Museum of the University of Zurich
One can understand why the Zoological Museum of the University of Zurich is one of the most frequently visited museums in the city. The museum is not only home to more than 1,500 animals, but it is also free to visit. By discovering and educating ourselves more about our natural world, we are able to appreciate it more.
The Zoological Museum was founded in 1833, the same year as the University of Zurich. It is maintained by some 30 employees, and it receives about 140,000 visitors a year.
You can see native animals on the ground floor. On the basement level, you will find animals from all over the world. There are some marine saurians and fishes from Monte San Giorgio, a fossil and reconstruction of a Swiss dinosaur.
The museum also features two to three temporary exhibits a year. Workshops and guided tours (in German) are available every Sunday.
You can reach Zoological Museum by taking tram lines 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 to ETH/Universitätsspital.
10. Graphics Collection Museum of ETH Zurich
Within the main building of ETH is the Graphics Collection Museum, which has been around since 1867. You can visit it for free every day from 10:00 AM to 4:45 PM. And though it was initially intended for students, it is now available to the general public.
Over the years, the collection has grown steadily in size. Currently, around 160,000 artworks on paper from the 15th century to the present can be found inside. View works by Rembrandt, Francisco de Goya, and Andy Warhol, as well as other national artists here.
You can reach Graphics Collection by taking tram lines 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 to ETH/Universitätsspital.
Summary: 10 Best Free Museums and Parks in Zurich
We hope you enjoyed our list of free museums and parks in Zurich. As a quick recap, here is the list:
- Paleontological Museum of the University of Zurich
- Anthropological Museum of the University of Zurich
- Langenberg Wildlife Park
- Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zurich
- focusTerra – Earth and Science Discovery Center of ETH Zurich
- Zurich Succulent Plant Collection
- Kunsthaus Zurich (Wednesdays only!)
- Botanical Garden Zurich
- Zoological Museum of the University of Zurich
- Graphics Collection Museum of ETH Zurich
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