The museum covers the period from the Stone Age through the Roman period to present times. In the rambling rooms and corridors of the building there is the work of goldsmith and silversmiths, textiles, coins, watches and clocks, furniture and interiors, paintings and sculptures. Of particular interest is the collection of arms and armor, with Swiss-made weapons from medieval times, including impressive crossbows and swords. Also impressive is the series of rooms containing religious objects including gilded altarpieces and 15th century stained glass windows. I happily spent a couple of hours just wandering around but if you had a particular interest in one aspect of the collection you could stay much longer. There are tours available.

There is a cafeteria which operates indoors most of the year but outdoors in the courtyard in summer. It is operated by the Zurich Women’s Association. Drinks and hot and cold food is available at reasonable prices. In the midst of the exhibition on tourism and the souvenir industry, the museum has developed a function room called Salon Rouge with its own Steinway grand piano. If you have the chance to attend a function there, don’t miss it.

The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30am-5pm. Admission charge is CHF5 for adults, free for children.

There are two other outlets of the National Museum in Zurich. One is the Museum Barengasse, which showcases the everyday life of Zurich people from 1730 to 1800. The ground floor houses the Sasha Morgenthaler Museum. The other is the Guildhall at Munsterhof 20. The two guildhalls and the balcony between them are embellished with rich stuccos and are startlingly beautiful. The building contains an exhibition of pottery and faience table settings in the 18th century.

The important attraction is located in a suitably grand purpose-built edifice close to the main railway station, which convincingly recalls the local form of Gothic architecture, despite being little over 100 years old. In fact, the building’s eye-catching exterior mosaics, colourful roof tiles and lovely main courtyard are in some ways just as appealing as the insightful exhibits that are housed within its sturdy looking stone walls.

The large scale of the structure might initially seem over the top, until it becomes apparent just how big the collection actually is. Even though some of the many items pertaining to Switzerland’s history and culture are fairly staid in terms of presentation, the sheer amount and variety of things displayed should ensure that everyone should find something interesting to see.

Perhaps the single most notable area is the series of rooms containing religious objects, including Carolingian art, medieval woodcarvings and gilded altarpieces, and an installation of 15th stained glass windows. There are also some impressive archaeological finds on show, dating from Neolithic times to the period of Roman rule in the vicinity, as well as a wide variety of weaponry and armour, regional costumes, antique toys, beautiful glassware and much more.

One particularly striking focal point is the Hall of Arms, which features a memorable fresco by Ferdinand Hodler, the Retreat of the Swiss Confederation at Marignano. However, the personal highlight was viewing the wonderful recreations of the manufacture of books and clocks in the past, whilst the opportunity to ring the series of large vintage bells with the provided rubber mallet was just too tempting for my noisy inner child to resist!