For six weeks, the Swiss National Museum (aka Landesmuseum) is transformed into a light festival, with thousands of lights covering the courtyard walls and filled with yummy food stands.
For a fee, you can watch a short light and music show projected on the building walls. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting the Illuminarium.
Quick Info 2024
When: Thu 7 Nov to 30 Dec 2024 • light shows most evenings from 17:00 – 21:30
Where: Zürich Landesmuseum – Museumstrasse 2, 8001 Zürich
Cost: Free to visit illuminated courtyard with food stands. Tickets required for light shows.
Website: illuminarium.ch
Tickets
It’s free to visit the courtyard fill with lights and food stands. If you want to attend the Illuminarium light show, you’ll need a ticket.
The light shows are every night from early November through 30 Dec, except 24 & 25.Dec. The show is different every year, so don’t worry about a repeat. In 2024, there are two different shows.
- Yuki’s Musical Christmas is more for kids. It has four shows nightly, every 45 mins from 17:00. Tickets cost CHF 13.80/adult, CHF 8.90/youth aged 10-16, CHF 5.90/child aged 6-9, under 6 free.
- Digital Art Show: Odyssey in Space has four shows nightly, starting every 30 mins from 20:00. Tickets cost CHF 9.90/adult, CHF 5.90/youth aged 10-16, under 9 free.
You can buy tickets onsite. But best to book online if you want a specific day/time. Buy tickets on their website.
How to get there
Public Transport: Zürich HB main train station, adjacent to Illuminarium entrance.
Parking: Parkhaus Hauptbahnhof – Sihlquai 41, 8005 Zürich
The Illuminarium is located in Zürich city, in the inner courtyard of the Swiss National Museum (aka Landesmuseum). This museum is adjacent to the main train station at Museumstrasse 2, 8001 Zürich.
By public transportation: Take a train or tram to the Zürich main train station. The Landesmuseum is directly north of the station.
By car: The nearest parking is Parkhaus Hauptbahnhof at Sihlquai 41, 8005 Zürich.
Illuminarium Food Court
It is free to enter the main courtyard of the Illuminarium, where you can enjoy the lights and food stands. Even if you aren’t going to the Illuminarium light show, it’s definitely worth a visit.
The entrance is through the arch shown below. On busy nights, they limit how many people can enter so there may be a long line to get it. If you have a ticket for the light show, there is a separate line so you can get to the show on time.
Every surface is covered with festive lights as shown below. The courtyard is filled with food stands, usually quite crowded in the evenings.
Illuminarium Light Show
At the far end of the courtyard, you give your tickets to watch the Illuminarium light show and music show. It’s projected on the outdoor walls of the museum.
Show starts 10 mins after the opening times shown here and lasts about 25 mins. Once you go into the show area, you cannot go back into the food court and return.
Inside this second courtyard, there are a few amusements while you wait for the light show to start. It can get quite cold as you stand watching the show, so dress extra warm with hats and gloves and maybe thermal layers. There are a few seats but most people stand.
The light show is loud and exciting. Very small children might find it scary. But everyone else will be fully entertained. The visuals are always a little psychedelic and not particularly Christmas-y. So set your expectations and just enjoy the experience.
Have you been to the Illuminarium? What did you think?
