The Appenzell Museum of Art is located close to the railway station; all its rooms are fully wheelchair accessible. Before your visit, it is worth checking the latest access information. Its location and accessibility offer two practical points of reference when planning your museum visit.
Art and Cultural History
The Appenzell Museum is devoted to cultural history, the world of work and everyday life, and the social and cultural changes in Appenzell Innerrhoden. Its permanent exhibition covers Appenzell hand embroidery, peasant and furniture painting, the development of tourism, and popular religious practices. Together, these themes trace a path from creative work and rural life to religious practice and social change.
From June to mid-October, a craftsperson gives visitors an insight into their particular craft at the museum every Thursday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. As this is a seasonal program, check the dates before your visit.
Places in the Village and a Guided Tour
The Catholic parish church in Appenzell is dedicated to Saint Maurice and is also known locally as “de Moritz.” A church on this site is mentioned as early as 1071, in connection with the founding of the parish. Roman Signer’s Turning Platform at Adlerplatz is an “instrument for experiencing space”; the viewing sequence takes three minutes.
The public village tour takes in the colorful houses on Hauptgasse, the parish church, the castle, Landsgemeindeplatz, Roman Signer’s artworks at Adlerplatz, and customs practiced throughout the year. It starts at 10:15 a.m. at the Tourist Information office and lasts about an hour. The Tourist Information office is at Hauptgasse 38; the “Brauquöll” Visitor Center is also in Appenzell. You can check the meeting point and itinerary in advance.
Appenzell’s center is partly car-free and has retail shops. Maria der Engel Convent closed in 2008 and now serves as a pilgrims’ hostel; check access arrangements before traveling there. Alpine cattle drives are among the typical customs and traditions of the Appenzell region.
Trails in Appenzell and the Wider Area
The Appenzell Chapel Trail is a scenic circular route that passes twelve chapels in Appenzell and the surrounding area. It starts and ends in Appenzell. An accessible hiking trail runs mostly along paved paths through the gentle, rolling landscape, covering the village and nearby surroundings. It is local SwitzerlandMobility Route No. 992 and is marked with route markers. These features offer different points of reference when choosing a route: a loop past chapels or a mostly paved, marked trail.
In the wider region around Appenzell Innerrhoden, the hiking network stretches for 1,200 kilometers and passes waterfalls, mountain lakes and peaks on the way to the Säntis. The Alpstein landscape is characterized by gentle hills and rugged mountain ranges. Also in the wider area around Appenzell, a circular hike leads to Seealpsee in the Appenzell Alps. These regional landscapes and trails complement a visit to Appenzell with the natural beauty of the wider area.
A Culinary E-Bike Tour
The culinary e-bike tour includes a specially selected Appenzell menu served by local restaurateurs. On Sundays, e-bikes for this tour can only be rented at Appenzell railway station. Check the current rental packages before setting off.
Discover more destinations: Wasserauen, Schlatt-Haslen, RĂĽte, Oberegg, Gonten.
Back to the main travel overview: Appenzell Innerrhoden.
