On the Trail of Albert Einstein

Even Albert Einstein was inspired by Bern. The physicist was living here when he developed his famous formula E=mc² in 1905, turning our notion of time and space on its head. Today, visitors can follow the footsteps of this 20th century genius and even take a selfie with him.

Video: Take your own selfie with Einstein!

Want to take a souvenir photo with Albert Einstein? Or relax with a book or an ice cream while sitting next to the 20th century genius? You’ll find Bern’s famous resident on benches in four different locations in the city. The figure depicting Einstein in his earlier years can be found in the Rose Garden, at the BearPark, at the Bern Historical Museum, and at the University of Bern. Share your photo on the Einstein bench via Instagram with the hashtags #ilovebern and #einsteinselfie, and show the world where Einstein spent several years of his life.

Here you find the Einstein benches

Rose Garden

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Einstein plays a significant role in Bern. Besides the two guided city tours “Einstein in Bern” and “Einstein and Time,” the one-of-a-kind Einstein Museum, the Einstein House, and the Einstein Lectures at the University of Bern, you can also enjoy a break in the Einstein Kaffee coffee house.

City tour "Einstein in Bern"

Albert Einstein moved to Bern in 1902 and took a job at the Swiss patent office. Would you like to find out where the physicist lived and likely partied as a young bachelor? And where he most enjoyed spending time with his wife Mileva? You’ll discover Einstein’s favorite places in this special guided tour.

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The “Einstein and Time” Tour

Learn the interesting parallels between precise timekeeping and Einstein’s definition of time. The tour starts in the Clock Tower (Zytglogge), where Kaspar Brunner’s clock mechanism has been ticking for more than 600 years. Then you can learn more about Albert Einstein’s life, thinking, and his most famous formula, E=mc².

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Einstein Museum

The world’s largest Einstein exhibition, presenting Albert Einstein’s life in 1200 m² of elaborately staged original pieces, writings, and film documents. Einstein’s groundbreaking theories are illustrated through videos, experiments, and a virtual journey into the cosmos.

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Einstein House

The first document on the theory of special relativity was written in the Einstein House, some 200 meters down from the Clock Tower (Zytglogge). This historic site, where Einstein lived from 1903 to 1905, features photos, copies of documents, and various writings that provide a glimpse into Einstein’s years in Bern and his research.

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Einstein Café & bel étage

Bern’s historic Einstein House – featuring Albert Einstein’s oft-visited former apartment – is also home to the Einstein Café & bel étage. It’s the perfect place to relax and read the newspaper or enjoy a cup of coffee.

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Einstein Lectures

The University of Bern and the Albert Einstein Society host the Einstein Lectures each fall semester. The lectures focus on alternating topics from the fields of physics, astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy.

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