Place · Old Town (Vieille Ville)
Maison Tavel
Geneva’s oldest house is a free museum of the city’s history with a huge relief model of Geneva in 1850; it is a good rain or midday stop in the old town.
Key facts
- Time on site
- 45–60 min
- p95 90 min
- Price
- free
- adult, 2026 estimate
- Hours
- unknown
- see note below
- Best time
- any open hour; quieter in the morning
- quietest window
- 28″ bags
- Painful
- Old Town (Vieille Ville): painful
- Getting there
- Walk from the cathedral; the house is on Rue du Puits-Saint-Pierre
- Free entry
- Rain-day pick
- Relief model of Geneva
- Works with kids
- Mostly indoors
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 10Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…The old town is cobbles and steep lanes
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Central Europe ↗Six of the nine countries here — Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia — charge a time-based motorway vignette, mostly digital and linked to the number plate; buy it before the first motorway past the border, because cameras, not toll booths, do the checking.
- Central Europe ↗Temporary police checks at internal Schengen borders are common in this region in 2026 (Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovenia among others — check): keep your passport on you on every cross-border train, bus and road even though there is no fixed control post.
- Switzerland ↗Switzerland is in the Schengen area but not the EU: check entry rules, the EU Entry/Exit System and any travel authorisation requirement for your passport on official sources.
- Switzerland ↗Switzerland is outside the EU customs area: allowances on meat, alcohol and tobacco are strict and checked at borders.
- Switzerland ↗Motorways need a vignette (sticker or e-vignette) before you drive on them.
- Lake Geneva Region ↗Trains between Geneva, Lausanne and Montreux run all day; check the last train home before a late dinner.
- Geneva ↗The old town is cobbles and steep lanes: bags go by tram or car to the door, never on a walk.
- Geneva ↗Most shops and many restaurants close on Sunday; plan meals and errands for Saturday or Monday.
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours unknown
- Crowds
Go any open hour; quieter in the morning
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Mon–Fri · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: free
- Time to spend
- 45–60 min · up to 90 min if you linger
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Time on site
Minimum
30min
Worthwhile
45min
Typical
60min
p95
90min
Hours are not printed until verified for your date: check the official page or ask locally.
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- No ticket needed.
- Bags & lockers
- Ask at the desk about lockers for large bags.
- Photos
- Photos without flash are usually fine in the permanent galleries; check signs.
- What's closed
- MondayClosed on Mondays (check).
- Public holidayscheckExtra closures around 25 December and 1 January.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent collection | free | Check for temporary-exhibition tickets (CHF, 2026 estimate). |
Inside, in order
Relief model of 1850
A large hand-made model of the old city before the walls came down.
Medieval house
The oldest surviving private house in the city.
What to see, in order
01
Relief model of 1850
A large hand-made model of the old city before the walls came down.
02
Medieval house
The oldest surviving private house in the city.
How to do it well
- 1Go after the cathedral for a warm, dry break.
- 2Check the hours on the museum site: closing days can change.
Facilities
- toilets
- Inside the museum (check).
- tickets
- Free permanent collection.
- shade
- Indoor.
On the ground
Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Walk from the cathedral; the house is on Rue du Puits-Saint-Pierre
- Exit
- —
- Ticket
- free · official site
- Stairs
- unknown
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Crowds and switching
- Crowd clock
- Quiet most of the year; school groups on weekday mornings.
- Sensory load
- 2/5
- Exposure
- low
Bailouts
rain
Stay inside; it is the rain plan
heat
Stay inside: it is cool
Nearest rescue anchor: C — Cathedral square benches (field-verify)
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partly
- Lifts: check · check
- Accessible toilet: check · check
- Wheelchair: partly · partlyA historic building with stairs and narrow doors; lifts exist but check on the day.
- Stroller: no · noA historic building with stairs and narrow doors; lifts exist but check on the day.
A historic building with stairs and narrow doors; lifts exist but check on the day.
Combine with
- 3 minSt Pierre Cathedral
- 4 minBourg-de-Four square
- 8 minReformation Wall
Walk the Old Town (Vieille Ville) area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Red lines
- No flash photography in the galleries.
- Bags larger than a small backpack go in a locker (check).
More on the groundWith kids
With kids
- with kids
- The relief model interests older children; toddlers will find little to do.
- child price
- check
Deep dive
Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources
Questions and answers
Is it free?
The permanent collection is free; temporary exhibitions may charge.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
How long do I need?
About 45 minutes.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Nearby
Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.
Sources
- officialOfficial site