Uhrenmuseum zum Rösli

The Uhrenmuseum zum Rösli is a small horological museum located in Zurich, Switzerland. Founded in 2006, it displays a specialized collection of approximately 500 table, wall, and longcase clocks dating from 1450 to 1950. The museum is notable for its focus on rustic Swiss clocks and Gothic iron timepieces, representing the private collections of two dedicated horological enthusiasts, Marta Gisler and Hans Neufeld.

The museum originated from the combined efforts of two passionate clock collectors, Marta Gisler and Hans Neufeld, who met in the 1960s. Gisler inherited her enthusiasm for collecting from her father, a teacher who initially gathered stones before shifting his focus to iron clocks. She expanded this horological legacy over the years. In 2003, Gisler and Neufeld established the foundation Uhrensammlung Hans Neufeld und Marta Gisler to make their collections accessible to the public. To realize the museum, the Rösli building underwent renovation in 2005, managed by Neufeld's construction company. However, Neufeld died of heart failure at Röslistrasse before the museum opened. His sons, Peter and Ronald, alongside Gisler and a local clockmaker, completed the project, leading to the museum's opening in 2006. Marta Gisler died in 2016.

The collection encompasses several hundred clocks spanning from 1450 to 1950, with a primary focus on clocks rather than watches. The Gisler portion is dedicated largely to Swiss clockmakers and features a significant number of rustic clocks with wooden movements alongside forged iron clocks of the Gothic period. The Neufeld portion contributes a substantial array of Renaissance timepieces. The museum also holds a good collection of Neuchatel type pendules. The assemblage is displayed across two floors of the historic building.

Signature strengths of the museum include its extensive holdings of rustic Swiss clocks with wooden movements and forged iron Gothic clocks, both areas where the Gisler collection excels. The Neufeld collection is distinguished by its numerous Renaissance timepieces. Together, these holdings provide a comprehensive survey of specific European horological traditions from the mid-15th to the mid-20th century.

The museum is housed in a historic building at Röslistrasse 46. The structure was originally built as an agricultural building, known as an Oekonomiegebäude, around 1803. In 1856, the owner, Gemeindepräsident Zangger, converted it into a schoolhouse and offered it to the municipality for 11,000 Swiss francs, funded through a share issue of 220 shares at 50 francs each. The ground floor served as a classroom for up to 50 students, the top floor provided space for handwork lessons, and the middle floor served as the teacher's residence. By 1887, the school had outgrown the space and moved, prompting the municipality to sell the building to teacher Johann Gisler, Marta Gisler's relative.

The Uhrenmuseum zum Rösli is situated in the Canton of Zurich, approximately 3 kilometers north of the city center on the route to Oerlikon. It is accessible via Streetcar number 7 to the Röslistrasse stop. The museum operates strictly by appointment. In addition to its public exhibits, the institution includes a specialized workshop for antique clocks, where maintenance and restoration work is performed on large and wall clocks from all periods.