Museumsnacht

Living in Basel has given me some very memorable Friday nights. It really is a city of culture!

Tonight was Basel's Museumsnacht (Museums Night) where all of the 40 + museums stayed open from 6pm-2am and put on extra special exhibits, bars and entertainment for those of us with special wristbands. It was free for students so I took full advantage and went around with a couple of friends. We went to...

1. The Beyler Foundation - an art gallery where we took part in a picture treasure hunt and won some chocolate.

Then we rode into town on a special rickety "old timer" tram to...

2. Basel Münster - I hadn't actually been inside the Cathedral yet but the mulled wine and Irish music there certainly made it a memorable first trip.

3. Museum of Musical Instruments - floors and floors of beautiful harpsichords, viols and other instruments in an old converted prison.

4. Pharmaceutical Historical Museum - to be expected in a place like Basel, aka where all the big Pharma plants are. Lots of beautiful apothecary boxes and a bar serving cocktails with dry ice in them. Very cool. Chemistry geek moment.

5. Botanical gardens - the greenhouse was tropical relief after wandering through the cold streets in the rain. Good museum weather.

6. Finally, the Anatomy museum - involving a wander through the university Anatomy department getting to see all sorts of body parts. Very cool. I couldn't find their CSI activities though as it was very busy which was a shame.

I think I got my money's worth with my FREE wristband. That's a few more museums ticked off my list.