Graubünden Museum Of Art

The Graubünden Museum of Art, the Bündner Kunstmuseum, is the main art museum of the canton and stands on Postplatz, a short walk from Chur’s railway station. Its home is made of two buildings from very different periods: Villa Planta, a grand 19th-century mansion built in the 1870s for a local businessman and used as an art museum since early in the 20th century, and a modern extension by the Spanish architects Barozzi Veiga, which opened in 2016. The two are linked, and the pairing of old and new, with a heavy, sculptural new wing next to the ornate villa, has been praised as a thoughtful way to expand a historic museum.

The collection reflects the artists of the region and the wider Swiss art world, and it is one of Switzerland’s richer regional collections. It stretches from the 18th century to the present, and thousands of works are held in storage and rotated through the displays. Chur was the birthplace of Angelika Kauffmann, the 18th-century painter who became a famous figure in Rome and London, and she is well represented here. The museum also shows works by members of the Giacometti family, the artists from the Bergell valley in southern Graubünden: Giovanni Giacometti the painter, his son Alberto the sculptor, and his cousin Augusto. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, the German painter among the Swiss Expressionists of the era, who lived and worked near Davos in his later years, and other painters who were drawn to the mountains, are another strong theme. Matias Spescha, a contemporary Graubünden artist, adds a modern regional voice.

The setting gives the museum a distinctive character. The villa rooms keep their historic decoration, while the new galleries offer large, calm spaces for modern and contemporary work, and the contrast between them is part of the experience. Several temporary exhibitions each year bring in new themes and international guests, so the visit differs from year to year. Audio guides and information in several languages are provided, and the building is accessible for visitors with reduced mobility. The grounds around the villa include a small park, which is pleasant for a pause.

Practical details such as ticket prices and hours change, and special exhibitions may have separate prices, so check the current information on the museum’s website before you go. The museum is close to the old town, the cathedral quarter and the Rhaetian Museum, which means it can be combined easily with other stops.

It suits art lovers, architecture fans and anyone interested in the cultural history of Graubünden and its famous artists. Allow around two hours for a thorough visit, and more if you want to see a temporary exhibition in depth.