Visit the Swiss Finance Museum Zurich –
Schweizer Finanzmuseum Zürich
Swiss Finance Museum Zurich / Schweizer Finanzmuseum Zürich
The Swiss Finance Museum (Schweizer Finanzmuseum) opened its doors in 2017 and is located at Pfingstweidstrasse 110 in Zurich’s trendy Züri West district. Housed in the global headquarters of SIX — the operator of Switzerland’s financial infrastructure — this museum offers an insightful experience for anyone curious about the financial markets and the evolution of the global economy.
Explore the World of Finance
The museum presents a wide array of engaging multimedia displays about stock exchange trading, the capital market, financial instruments, and payment systems. One of the highlights is its impressive collection of historical shares and bonds from around the world.
Operated by the charitable foundation “Collection of Historical Securities” (established by SIX), the museum offers guided tours and also features an audio guide app to enhance your visit.
A Unique Experience — Not Just for Bankers
Even if you have no background in finance, the Swiss Finance Museum is worth a visit. It’s a great indoor activity, especially on a rainy day in Zurich. One highlight is a large wall-mounted timeline illustrating the industrial revolution and financial milestones.
Historic Share Certificates
The exhibition features original financial instruments such as share certificates from the era of Dutch trading voyages to rare pieces like a certificate from Charlie Chaplin’s film company — all of them genuine historical documents.
These certificates are real; historic documents which must be worth a fortune. I have to admit to a personal interest; when I was working on the inspection staff of Barclays Bank in London, one of my jobs was to count them and check off the total in the ledger in green ink specially issued for the purpose. Crashingly boring at the time, but fascinating now.
Be A Day Trader
You can even try your hand at being a day trader at one of the interactive stations, or explore the evolution of payment terminals, from early machines to today’s contactless technology.
Café West – A Great Spot for a Break
Also to be mentioned, and close to your correspondent’s heart, is the café. Café West is a smart, well-staffed place to take a coffee and maybe something sweet after your visit.
Tuesday Lunch Specials at Café West
At the time of updating this article, there is a special offer on Tuesdays from 11am – 3 pm whereby for CHF 15, you can get entrance to the museum and a voucher for a salad or a sandwich plus a coffee or soft drink from Café West! You can also take part in the public guided tour whilst there, which takes place from 12.30 -1.30 pm on Tuesdays.
