Museum of Cultures Basel

The Museum of Cultures Basel (Museum der Kulturen Basel) is an anthropological museum with its main entrance on Münsterplatz square. It describes itself as one of the leading anthropological museums in Europe. The collection comprises more than 340,000 objects from all parts of the world. The building combines the Neoclassical structure by Melchior Berri, a wing added in 1917, and medieval structures surrounding a courtyard. Since 2011 it has been topped by a roof designed by the architects Herzog & de Meuron, covered with 10,000 three-dimensional glazed ceramic tiles and inspired by the roof of the nearby Basel Cathedral (Basler Münster). A highlight of the interior is the ceremonial house of the Abelam people, standing 16 metres tall and rising through all floors of the building.