Fondation Beyeler — Attraction in Riehen

On Saturday 14/5/2022 I visited your museum and it was a great pleasure. The exhibitions and the overall experience was excellent and I congratulate you. However, I cannot say that the experience in the shop of the museum was of a similar standard and therefore I would like to complain about the poor service provided to visitors and the faulty sale offered to me.

On the large art book counter there was an open catalogue of the exhibition of the artist Pipilotti Rist at the Kunsthaus Ζurich entitled "Your Salvia is my Diving Suit in the Ocean of Pain". The publication consisted of a box containing some prints and a book with long essays, which was on display for the prospective buyer to flip through in the English language. I was interested in buying it and asked a shop assistant for a sealed box that had not been spoiled by visitors' browsing. It should be noted that we spoke in English throughout and the book on display, which I pointed out to her to help me find one that was not spoiled, was in English. To my great disappointment when I opened the package the next day and while I was already a long way from Basel I discovered that the edition was in German! As you can understand this annoyed and disappointed me quite a lot, not only because I paid 49 ch for a false book with no responsibility on my part, but mainly because it is a book with extensive and interesting essays and not just pictures of artworks! I think it was an oversight and a mistake by the shop which is in no way befitting with the level of experience and service your museum offers.I have sent many emails about this specific issue but I have not received any response from the museum yet! Very...

We visited the Yayoi Kusama exhibition and had purchased tickets online for the last time slot of the day. We arrived punctually at 17:00, but were told at 17:30 that part of the exhibition was no longer accessible because the museum would close at 18:00. The staff reacted very rudely and simply claimed it was “common knowledge” that the museum closes at that time, and that we should talk to the cashiers. Nowhere during the booking process was it mentioned that a full visit would not be possible with the CHF 20 ticket for the last time slot.

This experience unfortunately reflects the overall impression of the exhibition: it feels as if the focus is not on art or on creating a meaningful experience, but solely on making money. The exhibition itself feels hollow and lacks care. The biggest highlight seems to be the gift shop, which sells overpriced merchandise—such as a CHF 40 keychain or a small porcelain pumpkin for around CHF 300.

On top of that, the museum was extremely overcrowded, suggesting that far too many tickets are sold per time slot. Overall, the visit was very disappointing and the first museum I have ever been to that genuinely felt...

The landscaping of the external building almost seems more exciting than the inside. Although this is undoubtedly an art crime to say so. We walked from central Basel (about 2 hours through some parkland). It is a way out but tram quick and goes Basel to the front gate of FB. I have had a membership for a while but it seems to add no value at all. All tours in German - no membership lounge. The door man said no benefits. We had a coffee and poppyseed cake to start in the garden - a lovely setting. We loved the snowman in a case. The back of the gallery with the hare in the waterway and seating was a highlight. The VR experience was going to take 45 mins so we skipped it. The exhibitions were either classic like Picasso (so you prob seen already) or vija celmins - who I did not know but there seems a theme in the art world of micro and multiple changes to simple concepts in repeat. I very much enjoyed the visit but preferred the Kunstmuseum’s classic collection. However it’s a must visit...