From the 19th century onwards, thousands traveled from Basel to "distant lands", including missionaries, merchants and researchers. But people from other parts of the world also increasingly came here: for example, the Basel Mission brought students from Ghana to Switzerland for training; or the Basel Zoo presented people from so-called "exotic" cultures as part of "Völkerschauen". The city tour explores these global migration stories of the colonial era and discusses their lasting significance.
Contact and registration via the event page of the Basel History Days 2026 (BGT):
Short tour 2 Mission 21 on Saturday, March 21, 2026
Costs
Single admission: CHF 15 / CHF 10 (reduced) / free of charge (according to BGT guidelines)
BGT-Pass (valid 16.-21.3.): CHF 35 (support) / CHF 25 / CHF 15 (reduced) / free of charge (according to BGT guidelines)
Meeting point
Meeting point for guided tours at the Barfüsserkirche (Historical Museum), Barfüsserplatz 7, 4051 Basel
