Federal Charter Museum and Forum of Swiss History: where the founding documents are kept

Switzerland has not only a founding legend but also a document you can stand in front of today. The federal charter of 1291, the alliance of the valley communities of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden sworn «at the beginning of August», is kept in Schwyz, the town that gave the Confederation its name. Two museums, only a few minutes' walk apart, tell the story here. The Federal Charter Museum was built specially for the document; the Forum of Swiss History places it in the history of the whole country. Anyone wanting to know how Switzerland came into being will therefore find two good places to start in Schwyz.

The Federal Charter Museum: the document itself

The Bundesbriefmuseum was built in the 1930s as a national treasury for the charter of 1291. That solemnity is still visible in the building today: a monumental hall, subdued light and, in the middle, the parchment with its hanging seals.

The visit offers more than you would expect from a single old document:

• The charter in context. The exhibition does not simply display the parchment; it also pursues the more awkward questions, such as whether 1291 really was the moment of foundation or whether the date was only made into that later. It shows how a protective alliance of mountain valleys became a national origin story, tracing how the charter was rediscovered in the 19th century and raised to the status of an icon.
• More than one charter. Schwyz preserves a whole series of medieval alliance charters and banners of the early Confederation. The charter of 1291 is only the best known of them.
• The link to Tell. The Tell legend comes from the same era. The exhibition shows how history and myth combined into Swiss identity. If you then want to visit the settings yourself, you do not have far to go, since the Hohle Gasse and the Rütli are both nearby. More in posts The Hohle Gasse and The Rütli meadow.

Allow 45–60 minutes for the visit. Current opening times are on the museum's official website.

The Forum of Swiss History: the wider context

Three minutes further on, in a converted granary on the main square, is the Forum of Swiss History, the central Swiss branch of the Swiss National Museum. While the Federal Charter Museum concentrates on the founding period, the Forum widens the view. It shows how people in the Alpine region lived, traded, made a living, fought and organised themselves from the Middle Ages to the present.

Focal points of the permanent exhibition:

• The beginnings of the Confederation, told through weapons, everyday implements and trade goods from the medieval Gotthard route. That route made the valleys of central Switzerland extremely valuable strategically.
• An interactive, family-friendly presentation. The Forum is a modern museum that offers far more than display cases, which is why a visit works very well with children too.
• Temporary exhibitions with which the museum regularly takes up new themes.

Allow 1 to 1½ hours here. Together with the Federal Charter Museum you get a complete picture, from the myth through the document to the actual history.

Making a day of history out of it

The two museums combine well into half a day on foot through the town of Schwyz:

1. Morning: the Forum of Swiss History, then a coffee on the main square, where the frescoes on the town hall depict the founding story.
2. Midday: the Federal Charter Museum. Take your time; the hall is quiet and invites you to look closely.
3. Afternoon: the Ital Reding-Hofstatt and the Haus Bethlehem (1287), one of the oldest wooden houses in Switzerland. If you want to see more afterwards, take the bus and boat on to the Rütli meadow, where the oath was sworn according to legend. How to get there is explained in post The Rütli meadow.

Getting there: by train to Schwyz (40–45 min. from Lucerne, about 1 h from Zurich via Arth-Goldau), then by bus up to the centre. Both museums are a few steps from the main square. What else there is to see in Schwyz is described in post Things to see in Schwyz.

FAQ

Where is the original federal charter of 1291?

It is in the Federal Charter Museum in Schwyz, displayed together with other medieval alliance charters and banners of the early Confederation.

Is the federal charter really Switzerland's founding document?

It is not quite that simple, and this is precisely the question the museum pursues. The charter of 1291 is the oldest surviving alliance document of the original cantons, but it only acquired the status of the founding act in the 19th century.

Are the museums suitable for children?

The Forum of Swiss History is very family-friendly with its interactive stations. The Federal Charter Museum is shorter and suits children who are enthusiastic about knights and oaths.

How much time do you need?

For both museums and a walk through the town, allow around half a day. In the afternoon the visit combines well with the Rütli or Stoos.