
MM Editor•Apr 19, 2026
Schaulager — Herzog & de Meuron's "Visible Storage" in Basel
At a Glance
Schaulager in Münchenstein outside Basel is a hybrid storage and research facility for the Emanuel Hoffmann Foundation's 860 contemporary works. Opened 2003 in a building by Herzog & de Meuron, the same year they won the Pritzker.
Rethinking the Museum Store
Rejecting the norm of hiding 90 % of a collection, the foundation designed a five-story facility where every work is accessible to researchers year-round. Public exhibitions run each summer.
Highlights
- Hoffmann Foundation collection — Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism, video art.
- Robert Gober's long-term floor.
- Early Jeff Koons.
- Major summer exhibitions (McCarthy, Kusama).
- Free online archive of all works.
Visiting Tips
Tram 10/11 from Basel SBB. CHF 20 during public season (spring–summer). 2 hours. Pair with Beyeler and Tinguely.