Old and mysterious from the outside, very modern yet keeping the countryside style inside. Maison du Salève is absolutely charming, engaging, and has a very wide offer for families.
Don’t be us
We have passed the road signs leading to Maison du Salève many times. But it hasn’t been until recently that we decided to finally check it out. Don’t be us. Don’t wait.
Nailed it
Some museums mistake interactivity for touch screens and other screens. Not here. Maison du Salève nailed the interactivity if the permanent exhibition like a pro! Puzzles, drawers to open, quizzes (one using a screen and buttons to make several people compete), things to touch, and manipulate.
Saleve 101
Can an exposition about everything-Salève be interesting and attractive for kids? Let’s see. The first floor exhibition tells a story about Salève. It explains how the rocks we find there help to recreate that story. It covers everything from dinosaurs, plants, animals, caves, to how humans got to live there, and how they created the cable car.
The sounds
The temporary exhibition on the ground floor is about sounds. You will receive a smartphone with headphones, enter a very nice wooden room, and scan pictograms to reveal the sounds of different kinds of animals, and not only animals. The app sometimes freezes, and it’s not clear from the start what to do and in which order, but fortunately it does not matter. You can ignore the rules and a simply scan the sounds you want to listen without complicating things too much. A museum outing with kids is complicated enough after all.
Salève for kids
Last but not least, Maison du Salève organizes a lot of activities for kids (small and big). They sometimes take place on the premises or in the garden surrounding the house. Sometimes it’s a walk with fun theme somewhere on Salève. And other times it’s a cable car ride up. Check their schedule for dates and themes.
Now, one really last thing. You can organize your kid’s birthday party with Maison du Salève, and from what we heard it’s quite great!
Comparing to everything we know in Geneva and around, we can wholeheartedly place Maison du Salève on the top of the kid-friendly list in the region. Absolutely #parentvillerecommended! If you get hungry after the visit, do not hesitate to visit the B com Brasserie, 15 minutes drive away – kids corner, kids menu, and a modern industrial feel.
INFO:
- Pram friendly
- Wheelchair accessible (+adapted toilets)
- No restaurant or buvette, water available in the gift-shop.
- Good for a rainy day
- Good for a hot day
