Ballenberg is an open-air living museum dedicated to traditional Swiss rural life. Old buildings from all over Switzerland have been transported and rebuilt at Ballenberg, open to explore with traditional artifacts setting the scene.

From farmhouses to barns, you can wander through the different regions of Switzerland and learn about its rich cultural heritage. There are also interactive exhibits, craft demonstrations, and even farm animals to see.

We particularly enjoyed watching the cheese making at the alpine dairy, loom weaving, saw mill and rope making.

Children will enjoy the big playground and visiting the animals. The whole park is stunning, with gorgeous meadows overlooking the Bernese Alps. It’s a lovely way to spend a summer day.

It's a very large park and we never see it all in one visit. I'd plan for about 4 hours and check the demonstration schedule before you go. Then you can plan your walk through the park to catch the various demonstrations as you go.

How to get there

The park has two entrances but we usually park at Museumsstrasse 9, 3856 Brienzwiler
By public transport, you would take a bus to Ballenberg West, Museum.

Tickets

You get a discount on the entrance fee with the Bernese Oberland Regional Pass and Lucerne Tell Pass.

• Book tickets (free cancellation 24h in advance)

Open: April to October

Website: ballenberg.ch