Museum Rietberg

Set in 16 acres of serene, manicured parkland in the leafy central suburb of Enge, Museum Rietberg is the only art museum in Switzerland dedicated to non-European cultures. Bringing together masterpieces of sculpture, painting, ceramics and crafts including carpet-weaving, wall hangings and carving, the collection puts more than two millennia of artistry from Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania centre stage. A cluster of fascinating buildings house the exhibited works, including the grand, neo-classical Villa Wesendonck, Villa Schönberg where Richard Wagner wrote Tristan and Isolde, and the ultra-modern glass pavilion known as the Emerald, the centrepiece of an extensive refurbishment complete in 2007. With a remit to inspire interest in and promote understanding of foreign cultures and beliefs beyond the exquisite aesthetics on view, the museum also stages bold juxtapositions with wildly contrasting forms. In 2014 a highly successful contemporary Swiss art show exhibited giant, site-specific post-pop sculptures in the grounds and video interventions projected over galleries of antiquities. Beautiful and mind-bendingly ancient vessels and statues on long-term loan from the Meiyintang Collection of Chinese ceramics are a compelling highlight.