Fodor's Expert Review Bernisches Historisches Museum/Einstein Museum

The second floor of the Bern History Museum is devoted to the Einstein Museum, where about 550 objects and 70 films chronicle the famous physicist's life. Indonesian shadow puppets, Japanese swords, Polynesian masks, Indian figurines, and Celtic jewelry fill the museum's ground floor, and the Islamic collection is exquisite, but head to the basement for exhibits about Bern and its place in Swiss history. Armor and arms, lavish church treasure (including sculptures from the Münster), magnificent silver, tapestries "acquired" in 1476–77 when the Bernese pushed Charles the Bold back into France, and several of Hans Gieng's original fountain statues lead the charge. Major signage is in English, and there are audio guides in nine languages.