6 Best Sights in Vaud, Switzerland

The Nestlé Foundation, a dynamic force in the region, sponsors this unconventional museum devoted to the celebration and study of food. In a stainless-steel kitchen, chefs demonstrate their skills, and displays on food preparation cover everything from the campfire to futuristic equipment. Other sections focus on merchants, supermarkets, food presentation, and marketing. You can also stroll through herb and vegetable gardens. The exhibits have material in English, and some are interactive.

In fine weather the waterfront buzzes day and night—strollers, diners, concertgoers, in-line skaters, artisans selling their wares—while the white steamers that land here add to the traffic.

Nestled in a charming floral park that parallels the water, the Musée du Léman has interactive exhibits about the fragile ecosystems of the lake, recreational boating activities, and coast-guard rescue techniques. There's a sizable aquarium, housed in a shuttered 18th-century hospital.

With high-tech presentations and touching mementos, this complex pays tribute to the athletic tradition in ancient Greece, the development of the modern Games, the evolution of the individual sports, Paralympic competitions, and the athletes themselves. There are art objects—an Etruscan torch from the 6th century BC, Auguste Rodin's American Athlete—as well as archival films and videos, interactive displays, photographs, coins and stamps, and medals from various eras throughout Olympic history. A sculpture park, museum shop, and lovely café overlooking the lake complete this ambitious, world-class endeavor. Brochures and guided tours are available in English.

Just east of town, the Musée Suisse du Jeu fills a 13th-century castle. Games of strategy and chance, ranging from dice to video games, are represented in displays spanning centuries. Tours are available in English. Its excellent gift shop is stocked with puzzles and board games. The courtyard eatery, in a former gardener's cottage, serves snacks and light meals.

Built at the turn of the last century, this enormous neo-Renaissance structure houses several museums, all with a local spin. The top exhibit at the Musée Cantonal d'Archéologie et d'Histoire (Cantonal Archaeology and History Museum) is the gold bust of Marcus Aurelius discovered at nearby Avenches in 1939. The Musée Cantonal de Géologie (Cantonal Geology Museum) has an excellent fossil collection, including a mammoth skeleton. Besides its collection of regional fauna, the Musée Cantonal de Zoologie (Cantonal Zoology Museum) has a rare collection of comparative anatomy. Each museum has some descriptions or an abbreviated guide in English. All of these museums are free.