Fondation Beyeler opens three Zumthor buildings in its park
Three small buildings set among trees are now part of one of Switzerland's best-known art museums.
The Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, Switzerland, opened its new ensemble on 26 September 2026. The project adds three houses designed by Peter Zumthor to the museum's existing home, with a phased welcome that runs to 14 January 2027, according to the museum.
The original museum was designed by Renzo Piano. Zumthor's addition sits close by in the same park landscape. The museum describes the result as an ensemble, a linked group of buildings and gardens that visitors can move between.
Think less grand entrance, more village lane. Zumthor proposed three smaller structures rather than one large block, a choice laid out in the museum's press material. They are planned to nestle into the park setting, as Dezeen reported.
The new rooms are for art, education and public use, according to ArchDaily. That means more space to show the collection, more rooms for workshops and school visits, and more areas that are simply open for people to sit, meet and wander.
Much of the change is outdoors. A park that was previously private will be opened to the public, almost doubling the museum's parkland. The expansion adds roughly 108,000 square feet of green space, including gardens, Artforum reported.
For visitors, this means the trip is as much a walk as a gallery visit. Paths connect old and new buildings. Lawns and planted areas give room to pause between rooms.
Access will be gradual at first. The museum says the initial opening phase is for a limited number of visitors and not on all days. Full details of dates and tickets are listed on its visiting page.
The build has been a long time coming. Construction of the extension was scheduled to start in late summer 2021, after planning approval that June. Five years on, the opening review notes the completed Zumthor buildings are now in use.
What makes this stand out is the scale. No single landmark block. Just three quiet neighbours for Piano's glass-walled museum, and a much bigger garden to share.
