Tuesday till Sunday 10.00-17.00
Wednesday 10.00-20.00
Sammlung Oskar Reinhart 'Am Römerholz'
Haldenstrasse 95
8400 Zurich-
.How to get there
Anyone looking for a real insider tip beyond the common art scene in regards to Swiss museum landscapes, should view Oskar Reinhart’s highly recommended 'Am Römerholz' collection. The gem of a museum is located at a higher elevation just under 20 minutes away from Zurich, at the edge of the Winterthur forest. I had planned to visit for so long, now was finally the time for it.
A descendant of a Winterthur merchant dynasty, Oskar Reinhart acquired villa 'Am Römerholz' in 1924. Built in Savoyard style, it was a private residence and lodgings for his art collection at the same time. The main focus of the exceptional collection are the outstanding masterpieces of French impressionists and their forefathers, who mastered the implementation of colour and form.
Alongside significant 19th Century works by Renoir, Manet, Monet, Cézanne and Corot, the collection includes masterpieces of older art, among others, Lucas Cranach Sr., Pieter Brueghel and El Greco, which was rediscovered in 1900 in the time of the collector.
This marvellous place, where collector and patron Oskar Reinhart’s flair is apparent, is today fortunately open to the public. In 1958, Reinhart, together with a collective of the Swiss Confederacy, constructed a magnificent garden at the villa. This provided sculptures of renowned artists such as Renoir and a truly idyllic lily pond a place to remain. What a gem!
The property itself also houses an attractive museum café with a most inviting terrace. Coffee and fine cakes are served, as well as hearty lunches and dinners. Ideal for a short trip, the museum offers an excellent breakfast buffet combined with a free guided tour of the collection held every Sunday at 11:30 am. A visit to the museum is highly recommended and is a very nice alternative for family and corporate events large or small.
Art lovers seeking to culturally complement their trip to Winterthur can visit the Villa Flora for the Hahnloser family’s private collection, the Art Gallery of Winterthur, the Photography Museum and the Oskar Reinhart Museum at City Park. The latter, a remodelled old- school-building-turned-museum, houses works by German, Swiss and Austrian artists from the 18th and 19th Centuries, which Oskar Reinhart donated to the Oskar Reinhart Foundation.