Prangins Castle (Chateau de Prangins)
Home to part of the Swiss National Museum, Prangins Castle (Château de Prangins)is a history lesson in and of itself. Built in 1732, the grand building was a seat of power in Switzerland for centuries, serving as home to Voltaire, Joseph Bonaparte (brother of Napoleon), and a Protestant school, before opening to the public as a museum in 1998. Today, the castle is extensively restored and furnished in its original style.
The main museum exhibition, Switzerland on the Move, covers three floors and traces Swiss history from the Enlightenment to the beginning of the 20th century. Outside, the sunken kitchen garden has been replanted to resemble its 18th century layout, and includes a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that were consumed in the region at that time.
Visit Prangins Castle for free with the Geneva Pass, which includes admission to over 30 Geneva attractions, including the towers of St. Peter's Basilica and the Art and History Museum.
Practical Info
Prangins Castle is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. It is closed Monday. To reach the castle, take the train to Nyon from either Geneva (30 minutes) or Lausanne (45 minutes). From there, you can catch bus 805 or 811 to the castle. Alternatively, you can make your way on foot from the station, which takes just under half an hour. Follow train tracks in the direction of Lausanne, as well as the pedestrian signs.
Admission to the visitors’ center, the kitchen garden, and the grounds is free of charge. Audio guides are also available free of charge from the museum reception desk. Admission to the museum is 10 CHF, and free for visitors carrying a Geneva Pass.
Trip ideas
- Things to do in Geneva
- Things to do in Zurich
- Things to do in Lucerne
- Things to do in Interlaken
- Things to do in Basel
- Things to do in Montreux
- Things to do in Davos
- Things to do in St Moritz
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- Things to do in Swiss Alps
- Things to do in Central Switzerland
- Things to do in Lake Geneva
- Things to do in Rhône-Alpes
- Lake Geneva (Lac Léman)
- Penthes Estate (Le Domaine du Château de Penthes)
- Palais des Nations
- International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
- Martin Bodmer Foundation (Fondation Martin Bodmer)
- Ariana Museum (Musée Ariana)
- Geneva Water Fountains (Jet d’Eau)
- Brunswick Monument
- Rousseau Island (Ile Rousseau)
- English Garden (Jardin Anglais)
- Flower Clock (Horloge Fleurie)
- Baur Foundation, Museum of Far Eastern Art
- Barbier-Mueller Museum (Musée Barbier-Mueller)
- International Museum of the Reformation (Musée International de la Réforme)
- Museum of Natural History (Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Suisse)