At the Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation in Schwyz, you can see Switzerland’s most famous historic document: the Federal Charter of 1291, long regarded as the founding document of the Old Swiss Confederacy. Here, you will learn not only about this exceptional document but also the history of the Old Swiss Confederacy and its myths.

The exhibition revolves around the Federal Charter of 1291. The exhibition tells the history of this exceptional document and explains what the Federal Charter has to do with Wilhelm Tell and its links to the Rütli Oath. To this day, there are unanswered questions concerning this document. The museum makes clear that the Federal Charter contains a little of both: myth and history.

Myths are generally an important topic at the Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation: where do the stories of Wilhelm Tell and the Rütli Oath originate from? How much historical evidence is there of either? The museum uses lots of images and films and a simple approach to explaining the importance that national myths have played, and continue to play, in Swiss culture and the self-image of its citizens.

A guided tour of the Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation offers you a compact tour of the history of the Swiss Confederation as well as modern Switzerland and explains many aspects of Swiss culture. To round off your visit, we recommend you enjoy a coffee in the museum café with a view of the park.