Lausanne’s Collection de l’Art Brut is a one-of-a-kind museum dedicated to “outsider art” – works created by individuals outside the mainstream art world, including psychiatric patients, prisoners, and reclusive visionaries. Initiated by French artist Jean Dubuffet, the collection celebrates raw creativity and emotional intensity, free from academic training or market trends. The museum offers a powerful, often moving glimpse into deeply personal universes that defy convention.
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What is this place
Lausanne’s Collection de l’Art Brut is a dedicated museum of outsider art housed in the 18th-century Château de Beaulieu. It presents works by self-taught and socially marginal creators from around the world.
Key features
- Founded around Jean Dubuffet’s concept; his 1971 donation to Lausanne comprised ≈5,000 works by 133 creators.
- Opened to the public on 26 February 1976 in the Château de Beaulieu.
- Today the holdings total about 70,000 works, spanning from the 1840s to the digital era.
- The companion “Neuve Invention” corpus covers creators adjacent to strict art brut.
- Free admission on the first Saturday of each month; a 3-day combined ticket also covers Lausanne’s Historical and Roman Museums.
What to see
- A rotating permanent selection of art-brut highlights and major temporary shows.
- The château’s intimate galleries and contemporary display design.
- Archival material on the origins of art brut and the “Fascicules de l’Art Brut” series.
History
Dubuffet articulated “art brut” in 1945 and launched the “Fascicules de l’Art Brut” in 1964. He donated his collection to Lausanne in 1971, then around 5,000 works by 133 authors.
The museum opened on 26.02.1976 at the Château de Beaulieu and has since grown to roughly 70,000 works. The “Neuve Invention” corpus was developed alongside, bridging art brut and other unofficial practices.
Practical information
Location: 11, Avenue des Bergières, 1004 Lausanne (Château de Beaulieu, north of the centre).
Getting there: From Lausanne CFF station take bus 3 or 21 to Beaulieu–Jomini; city lines 20/21 also stop nearby.
Access: Fully step-free; wheelchair and stroller available on request; guide dogs permitted.
Visiting hours: Tue–Sun 11:00–18:00; open daily in July–August; 24/31 Dec 11:00–17:00; closed 25 Dec and 1 Jan.
Visit duration: 45–90 min for the core visit.
Best time: Weekday opening hour for quieter rooms; first Saturday is free but busier.
Notes: Tickets – adults CHF 12, concessions CHF 6; under-18s and students free; 3-day combined ticket valid across three city museums.
