Alps · Switzerland

HR Giger Museum (Gruyères)

Cultural Half day difficulty: Easy with kids: yes

In St. Germain castle, high in the medieval village of Gruyères — the cheese one —, lives the work of H.R. Giger: the Swiss artist who designed the Alien creature and won an Oscar for it. An honest heads-up from us: it's dark art and part of the work is explicit — the tour is NOT for children; it's a plan for teenagers with an artistic stomach and parents who've already watched Alien with them. Ask at the entrance about the rooms and decide for yourself.

The pop wink

H.R. Giger designed the Alien xenomorph (1979) and shared the 1980 Oscar for visual effects. He fell in love with Gruyères in 1990, during an exhibition at the village castle — and in 1998 he opened his museum here: some 500 major works (the Spell series, the N.Y. City cycle, the Alien pieces), today recognized as a Swiss cultural property of national importance. The contrast is part of the trip: Switzerland's sweetest village keeps, up above, the most famous monster in cinema. The Giger Bar across the way opened in 2003.

With kids

With teen film fans: recognize the xenomorph in the original sketches
The Giger Bar across the way — the vertebrae ceiling can be seen from the door even if they don't go in
For the little ones: the cheese factory and the village's meringues with cream (while the grown-ups see the museum)
The exit debate: can fear be art?

Accessibility: 14+ suggested, and at the parents' discretion — dark and partly explicit art; those younger will better enjoy the village, the castle, and the cheese

With family

Split the day: Gruyères castle and medieval village for all; the museum, the 14+
The walk along the walls with the Alps in the background
The obligatory fondue — you're in Gruyères
Watch Alien (1979) the week before with the teens: the museum becomes a pilgrimage

Full listing, routes and recommendations at Mi País — HR Giger Museum (Gruyères). ← All destinations