Museum im Lagerhaus

In addition to the famous Collection de l’Art Brut in Lausanne, this is another treasure trove of outsider and naive art in Switzerland, this one located in an old warehouse in Saint Gall (St. Gallen in German).

The Museum im Lagerhaus (Museum in the Warehouse) was started in 1988 by the Foundation for Swiss Naïve Art and Art Brut, and its collection now includes a great number of masterpieces by the untrained masters. These artists are guided by their creative impulses and often portray their intimate wishes and thoughts.

Art brut, or raw art, is a term for artwork produced outside the bounds of mainstream society, and naïve art refers to work made by artists with no formal training. The St. Gallen collection displays a mix of different kinds of outsider art created by Swiss artists. There are works by mentally ill or disabled artists, and naïve art from the fringes of society. The museum focuses on pieces that show the cultural and artistic traditions of Switzerland.

These unique pieces are displayed inside an old warehouse that was converted to a cultural centre, housing several galleries and a contemporary art space. The museum also presents special exhibitions from other collections, so you have a good chance of seeing some works from Wölffli, Aloise, or other widely known art brut masters when you visit.