Facts on the extension of the National Museum Zurich

View from the park to the National Museum Zurich © Architron

The current state of the construction works / Click here for a larger view

Flyer Erweiterung Landesmuseum (in German) (1.58MB)

The planned extension, designed by the architects Christ & Gantenbein, complements the museum buildings constructed by Gustav Gull, allowing visitors to follow a circular route through the old and new building. The key feature of the new building is the bridge, which creates a spatial and optical relationship between the park Platzspitz and the museum.
The plans for the annexe, as part of the 2002 competition project, have been revised after discussions with opponents and individuals with expert knowledge: The total usable area of the new construction was reduced by one third, the integral preservation of the old building, including the applied arts wing, is guaranteed, and a line of sight and a spatial link between the Platzspitz park and the museum courtyard is opened up.

Planning permission from the city of Zurich of June 2008 has been officially legally valid since November 2010.

On 13 June 2010, voters from the city of Zurich, and on 13 February from the canton of Zurich, voted to accept a corresponding funding bill. Subsequently, members of the referendum committee filed a voting rights complaint with the government of the canton of Zurich and the federal court. In July 2011 the court rejected the complaint, thereby clearing the way for the realization of the project.

Building work on the extension is due to begin in 2013 and should be completed by the end of 2016.

Time schedule for the renovation of the applied arts wing and the extension of the Swiss National Museum in Zurich

Preparatory work (2012): Before the actual start of the building work, existing utility lines are to be rerouted and the building site installed (erection of containers, cranes and general building installations).

Building of the extension (2013–2015): In the first phase, the building trench will be secured, then the excavation is carried out, after which the building work for the museum extension begins.

Opening of the extension and the renovated applied arts wing (mid-2016): The completion of the renovation of the applied arts wing will coincide with the completion of the extension.

The extension of the National Museum in the park Platzspitz …

provides the necessary space for flexible rooms for temporary exhibitions, an auditorium and a study centre for cooperation with schools and colleges, as well as a catering infrastructure for a museum restaurant.

is supported, with a substantial majority, by the parliaments of the Federal Council, the Canton and the City.

is not contested either by the Federal Commission for Historic Monuments and Site Preservation or by the Nature and Heritage Commission of the Canton of Zurich, nor by the Historic Monuments Commission of the Canton of Zurich. The Swiss Heritage Society is not opposed to it either.

takes up 1,300 m2 of the total park area, which covers 36,400 m2.

had already been planned by Gustav Gull, and the park declared as a reserved area for the National Museum.

will endeavour to build to Minergie-P standard.

		View from the park to the National Museum Zurich © Architron Download ZIP-File (5.27MB)
		View from the esxhibition on the park Platzspitz. © Christ & Gantenbein Download ZIP-File (1.61MB)
		Walk from the Museums court to the park Platzspitz. © Christ & Gantenbein Download ZIP-File (2.01MB)
Funding: The cost of the extension of the Zurich National Museum is calculated at CHF 111 million. Of this, CHF 5 million will come from private sources. The majority of the funding required will be contributed by the Swiss Confederation:
Federal government
76 Million:		The application for funding from the Federal authorities was approved in 2008. The Federal authorities accepted the civil building programme as the awarding authority.
Canton of Zurich
20 million:		The application for funds at cantonal level was approved by the Cantonal Council with a large majority in 2009 - the subsidy was due to be financed from the lottery fund. Following an appeal on the grounds of voting rights, on 19 April 2010 the Cantonal Council was called upon to make a decision once again. In this vote also, the Cantonal Council expressed itself, again with an overwhelming majority (and in fact with even fewer votes against than in the first vote), in favour of the financial contribution. (In German) In Folge des ergriffenen Volksreferendums wurde am 13. Februar 2011 über den vom Kantonsrat bewilligten Beitrag aus dem Lotteriefonds abgestimmt. Die Stimmbürgerinnen und Stimmbürger des Kantons Zürich sagten mit 62,3 Prozent deutlich Ja zur Erweiterung.
City of Zurich
10 million:		3.25 million surrender of land and 6.75 million site-related contribution. The contribution from the City of Zurich was approved by a large majority in the municipal council in 2009. The opponents of the draft bill have collected signatures for a referendum against the municipal council’s decision. In the city of Zurich the vote was taken on June 13th 2010. The project has been adopted with 54,2% of the votes.
		Panoramic view of the National Museum from the banks of the Sihl, with the big bridge. © CHRIST & GANTENBEIN Architekten Spitalstrasse 12 CH - 4056 Basel T + 41 61 260 90 20 F + 41 61 260 90 30 Download ZIP-File (1.88MB)
		View from the railway station to the Museum, with the new entrance. © CHRIST & GANTENBEIN Architekten Spitalstrasse 12 CH - 4056 Basel T + 41 61 260 90 20 F + 41 61 260 90 30 Download ZIP-File (2.22MB)
		Landscape plan © Vogt Landschaftsarchitekten Download PDF-File (1.72MB)