Subscriptions
Rue des Musées 29 CH- T
2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds
Suisse
+41 32 967 68 61
https://www.mih.ch/
info@mih.ch
The International Watchmaking Museum (MIH) is a public municipal institution founded in 1902 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and has been housed since 1974 in a largely underground building within the Parc des Musées. The innovative architecture, which has won several awards, provides the perfect setting for the world’s largest collection entirely dedicated to the measurement of time. Covering an area of over 2,000 m², the exhibition offers an engaging journey from the 16th century to the present day, exploring the technical, artistic, social, economic and cultural history of Swiss and international watchmaking. Through a unique museum design, the mysteries of time are unveiled, from the earliest sundials to the atomic clock, via the clocks, watches, chronometers and automata that have marked the history of watchmaking. Strategically located in the cradle of the Swiss watchmaking industry, the International Watch Museum ensures the conservation, promotion, study and transmission of this exceptional heritage. Each year, new acquisitions also complement and enrich the collection of timepieces through donations or purchases. The MIH thus fulfils the core missions defined by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Its activities are not, however, limited to the museum sphere alone, as it has the distinction and good fortune to also house a restoration centre for antique timepieces and a centre for interdisciplinary studies of time. The International Watchmaking Museum’s wide-ranging activities make it a global benchmark in the history of timekeeping and its best-known expression, watchmaking. The museum’s dynamism is evident in its two annual temporary exhibitions, the numerous workshops aimed at young audiences, and the presentation of the prestigious Gaïa Prize, which honours craftsmen, manufacturers and researchers in the field of timekeeping.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
