Art walks in Nyon
How to discover or rediscover the artworks that shape Nyon’s public spaces?
The City of Nyon invites you to explore sixteen artworks through two walking tours, spread across its parks, streets, and public buildings.
The journey begins here!
By visiting art in museums and galleries, we almost forget that it was originally public.
Art in Public Space in the City of Nyon
How does it work?
During the walk, visitors can use the Art [Espace] Public guide (PDF), which describes the routes and explains each artwork. It’s available from the City of Nyon, its museums, library, and the Tourist Office.
Using the QR codes placed near the artworks, visitors can enrich their exploration with descriptions, photographs, videos, and podcasts. These offer a unique and immersive experience through sound walks.
From the lakeside to the Petite Prairie district, everyone can discover the collection of public artworks in Nyon through two walking tours:
- Southern Walk: from the train station to the Usine à Gaz, passing through Buis Park, the lakeside, and Nyon Castle
- Northern Walk: from the train station to the Petite Prairie district, via the Cossy trail and Marens Theatre
Fun audio walks
Tours accompanied by music and poetry
The sound walks offer a fresh approach to art, highlighting small details and surprising ideas. They are guided by actress Tiphanie Bovay-Klameth and musician Marcin de Morsier.
Mission Exploration! – Activities for Children
Young visitors can discover the artworks in a playful way – in groups or with family. Using an activity booklet (PDF), they embark on an adventure and solve puzzles like real detectives.
Artworks in the city
Art in Nyon’s Public Space
Between 1969 and 2025, sixteen remarkable artworks have been installed in Nyon’s public spaces.
- Oldest work: Optica by André Lasserre, located in the courtyard of the Nyon-Marens secondary school, 1969
- Most recent work: La promenade by Julie Semoroz, on the Jura promenade (near the Centre-Ville primary school), October 2025
These works were created by artists from the region or residing in Switzerland: Anne Blanchet, Edouard Chapallaz, Les Frères Chapuisat, Delphine Coindet, Théo Dao with Giuliano Pioletti and Julien Luetto, Philippe Decrauzat, Emilie Ding, Olivier Estoppey, Pierre Golay, Lang/Baumann, André Lasserre, Nicoló Perusino, Christian Robert-Tissot, Pierre Schwerzmann, and Julie Semoroz.
As witnesses to local heritage, these artworks reflect the evolution of art history, cultural policies, and the city itself. Art historian Benoît Antille emphasizes that art was originally public. It became privatized before reinvesting urban space from the 1960s–1970s onward, where it questions its context while enhancing the attractiveness of cities.
