Lausanne (Switzerland)

Collection de l'Art Brut

Convinced as he was that madness was a source of creative fecundity, Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985) set out to look for art unfettered by cultural and/or social conditioning. In 1945 he began assembling a collection of "Art Brut," a term he himself invented and defined at the time. To his eye, such creation on the fringes of society represented "a totally pure and raw artistic operation entirely reinvented in all its phases through only its creator's own impulses." In 1964, he launched the publication of the Art Brut booklets: he himself composed the first eight editions of a series that continues to this day. He donated his collection to the City of Lausanne in 1971: at the time, it comprised 5000 works by 133 creators. The Collection de l'Art Brut opened to the public on February 26th, 1976.
CAB Outside

Access preferences

Accessible Museum (Accessible entrance for pushchairs and wheelchairs)

Full accessibility for people with reduced mobility.

For Kids (Children friendly)

Art Brut speaks to youngsters, and the museum encourages this interaction. Various activities exist to help children to experience the Collection de l’Art Brut in their own way.

Workshops bring youngsters closer to the act of creating or a particular set of themes, drawing on their gift for observation and personal interpretation. Each youngster leaves the museum with his creation in hand and a tasty snack in his stomach!

Guided tours (Group and Tours)

Free guided tours for the public
For each temporary exhibition

Private guided tours
Guided tour (French, English, German, Italian) of the permanent and/or temporary exhibitions.

Group visits from 6 and up without a guide
Please book at least 48 hours in advance

Listening to art works (Multisensory Experiences)

Access to culture is part of the mission and role of museums. Through its cultural mediation service, the Collection de l'Art Brut wishes to open its doors to audiences of all backgrounds.

The works in the collection do not require any academic knowledge or reference, and focus on the moment of discovery. They question and provoke exchange in the face of the emotion they provoke.

Thanks to the mediation project "Listening to the works", the Collection de l'Art Brut offers the visually impaired several audio descriptions of its major works. By exploiting the potential of spoken language and music, it offers an intimate encounter with the works in its permanent collection.

The audio descriptions are available on the website or in the museum, via a QRcode placed next to the works concerned.

At the museum, the reception staff will be happy to help you and provide you with a booklet with a Braille translation to help you discover the works.

For your comfort and that of the visitors, we invite you to bring your own headphones or earphones; this will give you access to optimum sound!
Folding seats are also available.

pARTAGE - VISITS TO THE MUSEUM (Complementary Offer)

Access to culture is part of the mission and role of museums. Through its cultural mediation service, the Collection de l'Art Brut wishes to open its doors to audiences of all backgrounds.
The works in the collection do not require any academic knowledge or reference, and focus on the moment of discovery. They question and provoke exchange in the face of the emotion they provoke.

Alzheimer Vaud and the Collection de l'Art Brut offer visits adapted to people with memory problems. Led by a museum mediator, these visits provide a stimulating encounter with works from the collection in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere.

The visit ends with a moment of conviviality and exchange over a snack.

Contact info

Collection de l'Art Brut,
Av. Bergières 11,
1004 Lausanne, Switzerland.
+41 21 315 25 70
art.brut@lausanne.ch
https://www.artbrut.ch/en_GB