Fondation Baur, Musée des Arts d’Extrême-Orient, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland

5sharkwhale13 5:00 PM Jul 10, 2014

Hidden Treasures even from the Swiss
Very hidden gem, not even known to many Swiss. Bring a very detailed map to find. Asking people will not help. Once found, the Japanese artifacts of the samurai will behold you with its intricate beauty. The Jade collection of the Chinese are okay. The temporary exhibit of the sacred altar textiles in May 2014 was absolutely outstanding. Opens only from 14h/2p.m.afternoons. I noticed that this museum is not publicized so even the people of Switzerland know little and visitors are to a bare minimum. I had the odd feeling that this treasure house doesn't really want many people to know of its treasures so if you are one of the lucky ones, its worth the visit. There are no cafe or really resting areas, nor outside spaces to rest so be prepared for a visit without frills. It's a visit that I feel honored to have experienced. Thank you Foundation Baur.

5Rita D 5:00 PM Feb 10, 2013

Exquisite collection displayed in an elegant period house
Whether or not Far-Eastern art is your special interest, you cannot fail to appreciate the beauty and craftspersonship of the artefacts on display in this museum, the fruits of a fastidious collector, Alfred Baur. Originally a German-Swiss, he made a fortune in Colombo (Sri Lanka), and then created a foundation to allow the wonderful objects that he was able to collect and commission to be on display in a Geneva town house that he acquired for the purpose. His wife came from Geneva, and when they returned to Switzerland, they settled in her home city, which is how these precious objects come to be where they are. Apparently Alfred Baur began by collecting Japanese items, and later turned to Chinese art objects. For us, this museum provided so much to enjoy and learn about. Beautiful items are displayed with very helpful and informative explanatory boards and labels in French and English. The atmosphere is very calm, and the environment elegant and conducive to enjoying precious objects. While we were visiting the museum, it had a temporary display on its lower ground floor called 'Jewellery from the Roof of the World – From China to the Caucasus: The Ghysels Collection'. If you are able to get to the museum before this closes in March, we strongly recommend it — even if, like us, jewellery does not usually particularly appeal to you. We found ourselves strongly drawn to the wonderful precious stones and metals — amber, turquoise, coral, gold and silver, the extraordinary design and craft skills of the jewellers, and, especially, the museum's explanations of the roles that the finished items performed in cultures so far from us, and so very different from our own. This special collection was built up through the passion and perseverance of Colette and Jean-Pierre Ghysels, who searched in Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal, Northern India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia. Although this was once a private house, careful forethought has been given to adapting it to enable disabled people to move around comfortably and view everything. My partner, who uses a mobility scooter, found it all quite accessible — it is just a squeeze getting out of the lift on the top floor, but staff helped us. All those whom we spoke to had excellent English and were clearly very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the collection they were caring for. If you are disabled, parking nearby is not easy, but with perseverance it is possible. A splendid collection for anyone who appreciates beauty and quality, however little one knows about the subject matter.