There is no coincidence that we are meeting Esther on a Monday. The museum is closed on this day, making it the perfect opportunity to develop the shop further. “I like being here on Mondays. As well as taking care of the accounts, I tidy the shop, rearrange the displays and order new stock.”

You are more likely to find Esther away from her office. She much prefers to be “omedingse” – a Lucerne dialect expression meaning something along the lines of pottering about – whether in the shop, the museum or the museum lounge. “I love being able to rearrange everything and give it a fresh look.” As well as Mondays, she particularly enjoys making the most of the early morning hours.

Her passion for hospitality, however, never left her. Today, she brings together her experience in the restaurant business with her role managing the museum shop.

The museum reception is the first point of contact for visitors. Museum Tinguely places great importance on making everyone feel welcome and ensuring that a visit is as accessible as possible.

Esther’s personality and approach to hospitality could hardly have found a better home.

“I never seriously considered pursuing a career in art research,” she explains. “Perhaps that’s because I grew up in a family that ran its own business. Being self-reliant and entrepreneurial was practically instilled in me from an early age. I suppose studying art history couldn’t quite change that,” she laughs.

Museum Tinguely is the only museum in Basel with its own beach. Since 2014, it has released a new special-edition Wickelfisch every year, developed in collaboration with the artist featured in its major summer exhibition. “Most artists have never heard of the Wickelfisch swim bag. But once they come to Basel and see all the people jumping into the Rhine at Tinguely Beach, they are immediately enthusiastic about designing their very own Wickelfisch.”

At the moment, Esther is busy working on a range of merchandise to mark the Tinguely fountain’s 50th anniversary next year. Once again, this is an opportunity to combine her enthusiasm for design with her instinct for what visitors from all walks of life might like to take home as a memento.

It is the creative freedom that Esther particularly appreciates about Museum Tinguely. “It’s that sense of freedom, embodied by Jean Tinguely himself and brought to life today through his work in the museum. His humour, his playful approach, his willingness to experiment … you can feel all of this in every corner and department of the museum,” says Esther. “And it all happens quite naturally. I think that’s simply the way the museum is – and the way we are as a team.”

Even the cats have followed us here (see our feature on the artist duo Ado + Comenius). The current Glow-in-the-Dark collection, created to accompany Zilla Leutenegger’s exhibition, is particularly cat-chy! In ZWISCHENRAUM / HINDURCHZUSCHAUN, the Zurich-based artist presents around ten multimedia installations alongside several monotypes. The exhibition runs until 7 March 2027. And yes, there’s a cat among them! Featured on the exhibition poster, designed by the artist herself, this feline quickly became the natural star of a range of accompanying products available throughout the exhibition.

The undisputed bestseller in the museum shop is the Wickelfisch swim bag. Its prime location right on the Rhine certainly gives the museum a unique advantage in this respect. “Generally speaking, we benefit enormously in summer from our location in one of Basel’s most popular recreational areas,” says Esther. “But our shop is also a popular destination on Sundays, when people come looking for gifts or souvenirs.” After all, one of the city’s loveliest walking routes leads straight past the museum. The Rhine, Solitude Park, the museum’s own bistro, Chez Jeannot … and, in summer, delicious ice cream from Gelateria di Berna, served from the striking pink vintage Ape parked right outside – the museum is not just a place for art, but a popular destination for a day out, too.

What does a perfect visit to Museum Tinguely look like in her eyes? “That really depends on what the visitor has come to see. If they’re here for Tinguely, I would definitely recommend starting with a walk around the grand Méta Maxi Maxi Utopia.”

Located in the museum’s spacious main hall, the installation is currently dedicated to the so-called sound-mixing machines. The Utopia is undoubtedly the crowd favourite, as it is the only walk-through sculpture. Measuring over 17 metres in length and 8 metres in height, it is made up of countless wooden wheels and disused metal casting moulds from the Swiss company Von Roll AG. Powered by motors and driven by V-belts, these set numerous other elements in motion, including a carousel horse, a garden gnome and the mudguard of a racing car. Brightly coloured and seemingly chaotic, the individual objects nevertheless come together to form a carefully choreographed whole, creating an experience that engages several senses. With Utopia, Tinguely created a fantastical world designed to bring joy, particularly to children.

Location: Directly on the banks of the Rhine in Basel’s Solitude Park, opposite Tinguely Beach.

Opening: Opened in 1996 to mark the 100th anniversary of Roche.

Architecture: The building was designed by internationally renowned Ticino architect Mario Botta.

Collection: Museum Tinguely’s collection is founded on a donation made by Niki de Saint Phalle in 1992,

comprising 52 sculptures from the estate of Jean Tinguely. This brought the largest collection of the artist’s works together in Basel, where it found its permanent home. Since then, the collection has continued to grow through acquisitions and significant donations of sculptures,

archival material and works on paper. Today, the museum is home to the world’s most comprehensive collection and documentation of Jean Tinguely’s work.

Funding: Museum Tinguely is a cultural commitment by Roche, which continues to fund the museum in its entirety.

What makes it special:  Many of the social issues that have gained prominence in recent years were already central to Tinguely’s work, offering fresh perspectives to this day. Building on the enduring relevance of his artistic practice, the museum fosters a dialogue between Tinguely’s work, contemporary artists and the art forms of our time.

Exhibition: ZWISCHENRAUM / HINDURCHZUSCHAUN, until 7 March 2027.