The Museum Tinguely in Basel, located in the picturesque Solitudepark along the banks of the Rhine, is a must-visit for enthusiasts of modern and kinetic art. Designed by the Ticinese architect Mario Botta and inaugurated on October 3, 1996, it houses the largest collection in the world dedicated to the Swiss artist Jean Tinguely (1925-1991).
The museum preserves over 218 kinetic sculptures, many of which are functional and interactive, covering about four decades of Tinguely's career, from his early youthful assemblages to the large multi-material machines of the 1980s. Among the most iconic works stands out the Mengele – Dance of Death, a sound and visual installation composed of 18 elements that react to buttons activated by visitors.
Alongside the sculptures, the museum exhibits drawings, letters, photographs, posters, and archival documents, many donated by Niki de Saint Phalle, Tinguely's companion, who has left over 55 sculptures and numerous original materials to the museum. The exhibition program includes temporary exhibitions dedicated to contemporary artists or those linked to the Nouveau Réalisme movement such as Yves Klein, Marcel Duchamp, and Arman.
The building itself is an attraction: composed of five interconnected bodies, it overlooks the river with a suspended walkway along the Rhine and panoramic windows overlooking the Solitudepark, creating a dialogue between art, architecture, and nature. Visitors can observe the open restoration workshop, where staff preserves and keeps the kinetic works in motion, live.