Hidden away in the picture-perfect medieval village of Gruyères is one of the most unexpected museums in Switzerland. Behind the centuries-old walls of Château St-Germain you step out of traditional Switzerland and straight into the dark, surreal and biomechanical world of Swiss artist HR Giger, best known for creating the terrifying visual universe of Ridley Scott’s Alien.
HR Giger Museum & Bar in Gruyères, Switzerland
Alien Art, an Extraordinary Bar & an Unusual Day Trip from Zurich
And directly opposite the museum is something equally extraordinary – the HR Giger Bar, where skeletal arches, vertebrae, futuristic furniture and Giger’s distinctive biomechanical designs surround you from floor to ceiling. The contrast could hardly be greater: outside, cobbled streets, Alpine views and traditional Gruyère cheese; inside, one of the strangest and most immersive artistic worlds you are likely to find anywhere in Switzerland. Having recently visited both, I would definitely recommend seeing the HR Giger Museum and Giger Bar together. They also make a fascinating and very different day trip from Zurich.
Who Was HR Giger?
Hans Ruedi Giger, better known as HR Giger, was born in Chur, Switzerland in 1940. He studied interior architecture and industrial design in Zurich and gradually developed the distinctive artistic style he later called “Biomechanics”, merging human forms, machinery, bones and futuristic structures.
His influences ranged from surrealism and Salvador Dalí to nightmares, dreams and the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. During the 1960s and 1970s, his drawings and airbrush paintings established him as an important figure in fantastic and surrealist art. However, it was the publication of his book Necronomicon in 1977 that would ultimately bring Giger to the attention of film director Ridley Scott.
Giger was commissioned to work on the designs for Alien, creating the creature and much of the film’s unsettling visual world. His work on the film earned him an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 1980, alongside Carlo Rambaldi, Brian Johnson, Nick Allder and Denys Ayling. But Alien represents only one part of his extraordinary body of work.
HR Giger Museum in Gruyères
The HR Giger Museum opened in Gruyères in 1998 and today houses the world’s most extensive permanent collection of Giger’s original work. Interestingly, Giger’s connection with Gruyères began before the museum existed.
In 1990, to celebrate his 50th birthday, a major retrospective entitled Alien dans ses meubles was staged at the Château de Gruyères. It was enormously successful, attracting around 110,000 visitors. Giger subsequently became very attached to Gruyères. When Château St-Germain came onto the market, he decided that the medieval fortress would be the perfect permanent home for his work. He purchased it in September 1997 and the HR Giger Museum officially opened on 21st June 1998.
What Can You See Inside the HR Giger Museum?
Don’t expect this to be simply an Alien museum. The collection traces Giger’s artistic development from his early work in the 1960s through paintings, drawings, sculptures, furniture, film designs and his later creations. Naturally, Alien is an important element. Fans of the films will find designs and works relating to Alien and Alien 3, but the museum also contains material associated with projects including Dune, Species, Poltergeist II and Giger’s own The Mystery of San Gottardo. Among the important works represented are pieces from his famous Passages series and The Spell.
It is fascinating even if you are not a science-fiction fan because you begin to understand how much broader Giger’s work was than the creature for which he became famous. There is also an extensive collection of sculptures and furniture demonstrating how his biomechanical ideas moved beyond painting into three-dimensional design.
HR Giger’s Private Art Collection
Another interesting part of the museum is found on the upper floor, where you can see works from Giger’s own private art collection. There is also a Museum Gallery featuring temporary exhibitions by other artists, making the building a centre for fantastic art rather than simply a retrospective of Giger’s career.
Depending on how interested you are in the artwork, allow approximately 30 minutes to an hour for the museum itself. The museum does not impose a set visit duration, so serious Giger fans may want considerably longer.
HR Giger Bar Gruyères – One of Switzerland’s Most Unusual Bars
Even if you don’t have time for the museum, I would recommend taking a look inside the extraordinary HR Giger Bar in Gruyères. The bar opened in 2003 and was designed as a complete work of immersive art. Giger didn’t simply add a few artworks to an ordinary bar. He designed the ceilings, walls, floors, tables, chairs and fittings in his unmistakeable biomechanical style.
Huge double arches resembling vertebrae stretch across the vaulted ceiling. The imposing high-backed chairs seem part skeleton, part futuristic throne, while almost every surface contains some element of Giger’s visual language. The result feels somewhere between a Gothic cathedral, a prehistoric creature and the interior of an alien spacecraft. It is an extraordinary setting in which to sit down for something as normal as a coffee!
Do You Have to Pay to Visit the HR Giger Bar?
You do not need a ticket to the HR Giger Museum to visit the bar. The bar can be visited independently, so you can simply go inside and order a drink or something from the snack menu. The bar serves coffee, beer, wine, cocktails and snacks. However, I really think the museum and bar work best together. Visit the museum first and then sit down in the bar afterwards – suddenly all those vertebrae, skeletal chairs and biomechanical details make much more sense.
See a Youtuber Video of the HR Giger Bar here:
Is This the Only HR Giger Bar?
No. Another HR Giger Bar exists in Chur, the Swiss city where Giger was born. There was also once a Giger Bar in Tokyo. However, according to the Gruyère tourism authorities, Giger ultimately distanced himself from the project because of difficulties surrounding Japanese building regulations and never visited the completed Tokyo bar. A temporary Giger Bar also existed in New York.
The Gruyères bar, though, is particularly special because it sits beside the museum containing the definitive collection of his work.
The Extraordinary Contrast With Medieval Gruyères
One of the things I loved most about visiting the HR Giger Museum is its location. You emerge from this dark, futuristic world and find yourself immediately back in one of Switzerland’s prettiest medieval villages, surrounded by cobbled streets, flower-filled buildings, mountains and views across the Fribourg countryside.
It somehow makes the Giger experience even more surreal. The museum is also just a few minutes’ walk from Gruyères Castle, so it is very easy to visit both attractions during the same day.
Can You Take Photos Inside the HR Giger Museum?
Photography (without flash) is currently permitted inside the museum, which is good news if you want to capture some memories of your visit. Do always check any signs or instructions when you arrive.
Some of Giger’s artworks contain mature or disturbing imagery. The museum advises that some exhibits may not be suitable for children, and visitors under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility at the HR Giger Museum
An important point to know before visiting is that the historic museum building does not have a lift, so the complete museum is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible. The museum shop is accessible. The HR Giger Bar is considerably more accessible and can also be visited independently from the museum.
Can You Visit the HR Giger Museum as a Day Trip From Zurich?
Yes, absolutely.
Although Gruyères is on the other side of Switzerland from Zurich, it is perfectly possible to visit the HR Giger Museum and Bar as a day trip from Zurich by public transport.
The journey from Zürich HB takes approximately two and a half hours, normally travelling via Fribourg and Bulle before continuing to Gruyères. Once you arrive at Gruyères station, you can walk uphill to the medieval village or take the local bus to Gruyères, ville.
SBB also specifically recommends the HR Giger Museum and Giger Bar as one of the highlights of an excursion to Gruyères by train. For a day trip from Zurich, I would allow a full day rather than travelling all that way solely for the museum.
What Else Can You Do in Gruyères?
The easiest combination is:
HR Giger Museum + HR Giger Bar + Gruyères Castle
If you have additional time, La Maison du Gruyère cheese dairy is conveniently located beside Gruyères railway station and shows how famous Gruyère AOP cheese is produced. This makes Gruyères a surprisingly varied day out – medieval Switzerland, traditional cheese, spectacular scenery and the dark futuristic world of Alien, all within a remarkably small area.
Is the HR Giger Museum Worth Visiting?
I think it is one of the most unusual museums you can visit in Switzerland. You certainly don’t have to be an obsessive Alien fan to appreciate it. The museum tells a much broader story about a Swiss artist who developed an instantly recognisable visual language and went on to influence film, art and popular culture around the world.
The HR Giger Bar then takes that artistic world off the gallery walls and turns it into a place you can actually sit inside.
And perhaps the most memorable element of all is the location. There cannot be many places where you can spend an hour surrounded by biomechanical alien creatures, walk through a doorway and suddenly find yourself back in an idyllic medieval Swiss village.
It is bizarre, fascinating and very memorable and definitely worth adding to a visit to Gruyères.
Frequently Asked Questions About the HR Giger Museum
Where is the HR Giger Museum?
The HR Giger Museum is located in Château St-Germain in the medieval village of Gruyères in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland.
Is there an Alien museum in Switzerland?
The HR Giger Museum in Gruyères contains an extensive collection of work by Swiss artist HR Giger, creator of the visual design for Alien. The collection includes Alien-related work alongside paintings, sculptures, furniture and designs spanning his wider career.
How much does the HR Giger Museum cost?
Adult admission is currently CHF 12.50. A combined adult ticket for the HR Giger Museum and Gruyères Castle costs CHF 20.
Is the HR Giger Bar inside the museum?
The HR Giger Bar is part of the Château St-Germain complex and sits immediately beside/opposite the museum entrance. You do not need a museum ticket to visit the bar.
Can you visit the HR Giger Museum from Zurich?
Yes. Gruyères can be reached from Zurich by train in approximately two and a half hours, making it possible as a full-day excursion.
How long do you need at the HR Giger Museum?
The museum recommends allowing approximately 30 minutes to one hour, although fans of Giger’s work may want considerably longer.
Is the HR Giger Museum suitable for children?
Children can visit, but some of the artworks contain imagery which may not be suitable for younger visitors. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
HR Giger Museum & Bar – Useful Information
HR Giger Museum Ticket Prices
Current admission prices are:
Adults: CHF 12.50
Students, seniors and military: CHF 8.50
Children: CHF 4
There is also a particularly useful combined adult ticket for CHF 20, which includes admission to both the HR Giger Museum and Gruyères Castle. Tickets do not need to be purchased in advance and can be bought at the museum on the day of your visit.
HR Giger Museum Opening Hours
Opening hours vary according to the season.
From April to October, the museum is currently open:
Monday–Friday: 10am–6pm
Saturday & Sunday: 10am–6.30pm
Last admission is 45 minutes before closing. Winter opening times are shorter, so always check the official HR Giger Museum website before travelling.
HR Giger Bar Opening Hours
During the main season from April to October, the HR Giger Bar is usually open:
Daily: 10am–8.30pm
Winter hours vary. Closing times may also occasionally depend on visitor numbers, so check before making a special journey late in the day.
HR Giger Museum
Address: Château St-Germain, Rue du Château 2, 1663 Gruyères
Museum admission: CHF 12.50 adults
Combined HR Giger Museum + Gruyères Castle: CHF 20 adults
HR Giger Bar: Located directly opposite/adjacent to the museum and can be visited independently.
Visit the HR Giger Museum Official website.
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