Just make sure your stop over day in Bern isn't Sunday. Everything is closed!

Restaurants and cafes are open. If it's Sunday, just relax and enjoy walking in quiet streets. Don't need to think about shopping all the time.

Ingo, we toured the Parliament in 2003. Security was very tight (with visible weaponry). We handed over our passports and left all belongings in individual lockers before entering the building. Then we received a very stern lecture about staying with the group. All of the guards were very serious/forbidding looking, but the tour guide was very open and friendly. All in all, we were impressed with the security.

Interestingly, as we left the Parliament, armored vehicles were entering the Credit Suisse complex across the street. The street was closed to traffic in both directions by multiple guards carrying huge machine guns. More fire power than the guards at the Parliament. Ah, Switzerland, were money is king!

...where money is king! (Typo-sorry!)

And you can best believe those guys know how to shoot very accurately. Afterall, the Swiss have been noted marksmen since before the days of William Tell.

Almost every Swiss male does his time in the military, and they all get training in handling firearms.

There is a shooting range just north of Lauterbrunnen close to the highway.
The first time I drove by there, I thought a battle was going on. No. Just target practice.

About 4 years ago, the national shooting champ came from Lauterbrunnen. The town made a big deal out of it -- parade and everything with a band and the auxiliary corps.

I would not want any of those guys taking aim at me with anything other than a camera.

Museums are open on Sunday. That includes the Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum), more contemporary Art Gallery (Kunsthalle), Paul Klee Center, History Museum, and others. Monday would be the bad day for museums.

Also, this year there are some special events and exhibitons commemorating the centennial of Einstein's big year. He was living in Bern at that time.