Discover the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet in Switzerland

A new watch museum that serves as a pavilion for the art and science of watchmaking has recently opened in Switzerland’s watchmaking heartland, Vallée de Joux. Its spiral-shaped design elegantly references the hairspring coil found in mechanical watches.

The spiral-shaped pavilion design references the hairspring coil in mechanical watches © Iwan Baan

The Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet is positioned in Le Brassus, situated within the Jura Mountains, which form a natural boundary along the Franco-Swiss border. Since the late 18th century, skilled artisans have been crafting watches in this region. Notable figures such as Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet established their workshop, Audemars Piguet, in 1875.

The glazed facades allow natural light into the building © Iwan Baan

Designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group, the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet covers an area of 2500 square meters and narrates the story of the generations of artisans responsible for crafting timepieces for the company. Although this museum is a separate entity, its curved glass structure directly connects to the watchmaker’s existing campus and is complemented by a temperature-regulating brass mesh exterior.

Furthermore, the museum aims to immerse visitors in Audemars Piguet’s cultural universe encompassing the past, present, and future. The main exhibition showcases 300 timepieces that illustrate more than 200 years of the company’s watchmaking heritage. Notably, the steel roof is adorned with local grass, seamlessly integrating it into the surrounding environment.

This exhibit tells the story of the generations of artisans who have produced timepieces for the company © Audemars Piguet

The museum serves as a vibrant space for craftsmanship and engagement, housing the brand’s philanthropic foundation along with exhibitions showcasing its art collaborations. The innovative glazed facades not only invite natural light into the building but are also structurally significant, particularly during winter snowfall.

The grass roof helps the building blend into the local environment © Iwan Baan

The spiral, low-profile architecture of the museum encourages visitors to follow a specific route through the exhibits. Moreover, they will have the unique opportunity to observe watchmaking in action within a designated workroom.