Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
▲▲▲
Swiss Open-Air Folk Museum at Ballenberg
Across Lake Brienz from Interlaken, the Swiss Open-Air Museum of Vernacular Archi-
tecture, Country Life, and Crafts in the Berner Oberland is a rich collection of more than
100 traditional and historic buildings brought here from every region of the country. All
the houses are carefully furnished, and many feature traditional craftspeople at work. The
sprawling 50-acre park, laid out roughly as a huge Swiss map (Italian Swiss in the south,
Appenzell in the east, and so on), is a natural preserve providing a wonderful setting for this
culture-on-a-lazy-Susan look at Switzerland.
The Thurgau house (#621) has an interesting wattle-and-daub (half-timbered construc-
tion) display, and house #331 has a fun bread museum and farmers' shop. There are daily
events and demonstrations (near the east entry), hundreds of traditional farm animals (like
veryfurry-leggedroosters,nearthemerry-go-roundinthecenter),andachocolateshop(un-
der the restaurant on the east side).
An outdoor cafeteria with reasonable prices is inside the west entrance, and fresh bread,
sausage, mountain cheese, and other goodies are on sale in several houses. Picnic tables and
grills with free firewood are scattered throughout the park.
The little wooden village of Brienzwiler (near the east entrance) is a museum in itself,
with a lovely pint-size church.
Cost and Hours:
20 SF, covered by Swiss Pass; RailAway combo-ticket includes trans-
portation to and from Ballenberg—41SFfrom West Station, 38SFfrom Ost Station, add 15
SF to return by boat instead, ticket available at both Interlaken stations; houses open daily
mid-April-Oct 10:00-17:00, grounds and restaurants stay open until 18:00.
Information:
Pick up a daily craft demonstration schedule at the entry, and buy the
2-SF map/guide so you'll know where you are. The more expensive picture book is a better
souvenir than guide; tel. 033-952-1030,
www.ballenberg.ch
.
Getting There:
From Interlaken, take the train from either station to Brienz (2/hour, 30
minutes, 9.20 SF one-way from West Station or get the RailAway combo-ticket—described
earlier). From the Brienz train station, catch a bus to Ballenberg (10 minutes, 4.20 SF one-
way). The bus back to Brienz leaves Ballenberg's east entrance on the hour, then picks up at
thewestentranceat:07afterthehour(after18:00,busesleaveonlyfromthewestentrance).
Consider returning from Brienz by boat (boat dock next to train station, one-way to Inter-
laken's Ost Station-28 SF). Parking is free outside both entrances to the park.
