HR Giger, a world-famous Swiss artist
Hans Ruedi Giger was born on 5 February 1940 in Chur, in the canton of Graubünden, and died on 12 May 2014 in Zurich. His style, described as biomechanical, blends the human body with the machine. He achieved worldwide fame with the film Alien, released in 1979. In 1980, together with the special effects team, he received the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for the film. A painter, sculptor and designer, he left a lasting mark on science fiction cinema and on the imagination of several generations.
The museum
Since 1998, Château Saint-Germain, a historic residence in the town of Gruyères, has been the artist's museum. It brings together the largest existing collection of his work: paintings, sculptures, furniture and pieces of film sets. Visitors also discover creations linked to Alien. Giger's world is dark and at times explicit. It fascinates lovers of fantasy art and cinema, but it is not to everyone's taste: we are happy to talk it through with you before including it.
The HR Giger Bar
Opposite the museum, the HR Giger Bar extends the experience. Giger designed it himself: the ceiling, walls, floors and furniture all echo his shapes of bones and skeletons. The bar can be visited without entering the museum, so everyone can choose their own level of immersion. Having a coffee beneath these vaults, in the middle of a medieval town, remains one of the most surprising moments of a day in Gruyères.
Visiting tips
The museum is in the medieval town, a few metres from Gruyères Castle. The two visits are therefore easy to combine on foot. Opening hours vary by season: check the museum's official website before you go. According to MySwitzerland, the bar is step-free, which is not the case for the museum. For groups with young children, we generally favour other stops, such as the cheese dairy in Pringy or Maison Cailler.
