Nativity Creche Museum

Switzerland’s Museum of Nativity Scenes

The Swiss medieval village of Steim am Rhein with its marvelously decorated facades and fountains is always worth a visit, and especially at Christmas time. There are two Christmas markets—the one in the center of the old village and a medieval-themed market with costumed performers and traditional arts and skills from the middle ages. Now, Krippenwelt, Switzerland’s finest museum of nativity displays is another reason you don’t want to miss a Christmas visit to Stein am Rhein.

About Krippenwelt

Krippenwelt (“Crèche World”) is housed in the oldest, originally preserved house in the beautiful medieval city of Stein am Rhein. The house dates to 1302. Krippenwelt showcases crèche art and exhibits from all over the world and highlights the story behind the crèches during guided and self-guided tours through the museum.

Hundreds of Creches from Around the World

Currently there are 596 crèches from over 80 countries on display. Every year during the Christmas Season, Krippenwelt also sponsors the special touring exhibitions from its large collection. 

History of the Collection

The crèches on display in Krippenwelt are originally from the private collection of the Hartl Family of Munich. The Hartl family crèches were collected over several generations, and parts of the current collection were often on display in the family home. Over the years, the collection has been expanded and enriched with crèches from all over the world. 

In Bavaria, it was not unusual for a family to have several crèches on display. Families would frequently visit each other at Christmas time to admire the crèches of other families. One of these families who once visited the Hartl's was the Amrein family from Sommeri in Thurgau, Switzerland. Mr. Amrein suggested that the collection be displayed in Switzerland to a larger audience. Mr Hartl was hesitant, since nativity scenes are a cherished and personal part of the family and are generally not displayed anywhere. 

But in 2004, Mr. Amrein’s idea was accepted and the crèches made their initial journey to Sommeri Switzerland. The curators eagerly, and somewhat apprehensively, awaited the first visitors. Switzerland does not have the centuries-old nativity tradition that is still alive in the Alpine regions of Bavaria, Austria and South Tyrol. So the family was completely surprised, not only by the number of visitors—over 8,000 in five weeks—but by the enthusiastic and warm response they received. 

In the following years, the temporary exhibition was repeated twice in Sommeri. Then in 2008 and 2009 the exhibition was featured at Gruyères Castle to an even larger audience of over 40,000 visitors. Finally, Krippenwelt found a home in the historic village of Stein am Rhein as the first year-round crèche museum in Switzerland. 

Museum Shop and Bistro

In addition to the crèche museum there is also a cozy bistro, with sufficient seating for tour groups, clubs, parishes, and families wishing to extent their stay within the special atmosphere of Krippenwelt.

The museum shop has an excellent selection of crèches from all over the world and a wide range of one-of-a-kind and artisan Christmas items, including historic and hand-blown Christmas tree balls, as well as many fair-trade products mainly from African and Latin American countries.

Since Krippenwelt is a privately financed project, the owners rely on the support of patrons and friends of the crèche community. Contrary to what is common in European countries, a crèche museum in Switzerland is not supported by any governmental or church body, so they are grateful to the many regular visitors to the museum.