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Proof of Basel as a city of culture is not only the referendum held in 1967, when its voters decided to buy a number of Picassos paintings for the Art Museum. The Art Museum itself is further proof: it is the worlds oldest art collection open to the public, and houses treasures of Old Masters; works by famous sons of the city such as Hans Holbein; and classics of modern art. It also runs a separate museum of contemporary art.
In recent years, among major museums, the Beyeler Foundation in Riehen, close to the city, has come to international attention, with Christos shrouded trees, special exhibitions, and a unique collection of modern art. Since it opened, the Beyeler Foundation has become a remarkable public success.
Another trendsetting museum is the Vitra design collection in Weil am Rhein, just across the border in Germany. Other places of interest, all near the cathedral, are the Museum of Antiquities, now expanded by an Egyptian section and the important Ludwig collection; the Museum of Cultures; the History Museum; and the Natural History Museum.
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> Museums
