Platform 10 in Lausanne: an arts district to explore with family

A Cultural Interlude at the Foot of the Station

Just behind Lausanne-Gare, Plateforme 10 brings together the Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts, Photo Elysée, and mudac. It’s a true arts district, bright and open, with a large esplanade where one can breathe. You can easily transition from quiet observation to active discovery. Ideal for an outing that pleases both little curious minds and their parents.

What Your Children Will Discover

In the galleries, you follow works that tell stories, photos that capture moments, and design objects that invite touch and imagination. Children enjoy the varied formats: colors, shapes, plays of perspective, sound or visual installations. Several exhibitions offer youth-friendly trails, booklets, or occasional workshops. Between the two museums, the esplanade allows for movement, sitting down, snacking, and watching the trains pass below.

A Visit at Your Own Pace

• Recommended age: from 4 years old to enjoy without getting tired. Teens also find plenty to stimulate their gaze.
• Duration: plan for 2 to 3 hours with breaks. A visit to each museum can last 45 to 60 minutes.
• Atmosphere: calm, contemplative, and very accessible to families. You alternate gentle walking, observation, and discussions.
• Reservations and tickets: no reservation needed for a free visit. Each museum has its own ticket office; family rates and combined tickets are available. Be sure to check the agenda for workshops.
• Accessibility: recent buildings with elevators, cloakrooms, and lockers. Strollers are welcome.
• Public transport: ideal by train, metro, and bus, the station is right next door. By car, several parking lots are located around the station.
• What to bring: a small bottle of water, snacks, layered clothing (the galleries are temperate). Sunscreen if you stay on the esplanade in nice weather.
• Safety: monitored indoor spaces, secure stairs, wide esplanade free of cars.
• Period: all year round, in all weather. On rainy days, it’s a sure bet; in bright sunshine, the esplanade is very pleasant.

On the benefits side, this outing stimulates curiosity, enriches visual vocabulary, develops observation and discussion skills. The youngest gain confidence by expressing their opinions; the older ones sharpen their gaze and critical sense.

Parent Tips

• Plan a short first visit: one museum, then a break, then a second if energy allows.
• Photograph the labels or note favorite works to discuss at home.
• Arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon for more tranquility.
• Check the agenda: some family workshops fill up quickly.
• Set a "gaze game": each person chooses a work and explains what they see in 30 seconds.

Useful Information

• Address: Place de la Gare 16, 1003 Lausanne
• Official website: https://plateforme10.ch
• Hours: generally from Tuesday to Sunday; closed on Monday. Hours vary by museum, check the agenda before you go.
• Ideal weather: all conditions. The esplanade is more enjoyable in dry weather.
• Access: a few minutes' walk from Lausanne-Gare. Metro M2 and buses serve the station. Public parking nearby around the station.

Why We Recommend It

Because everything is gathered in one place: three complementary universes, a large esplanade, services designed for families, and exemplary accessibility by public transport. You can adapt the visit to the mood of the day, discover art in different forms, and leave with plenty of ideas in your head.

Want to Go?

Plateforme 10 offers an easy-to-organize, cultural, and gentle outing that works in any season. For more tested and local ideas, create your Kidora account or subscribe to our newsletter.