Lucy and Illuminarium 2026: Zurich's Christmas light, a sky of crystals and three shows at the National Museum
✓ Checked at the source · as of 12 October 2026
On 19 November 2026 at 6 pm Lucy switches on above the Bahnhofstrasse: 11,500 crystals on 12,000 metres of steel cable. A few minutes' walk away, in the courtyard of the National Museum, light shows play on the façade every evening from 5 November 2026. One costs nothing and has no programme; the other has a programme, and takes Christmas Eve off.
📅 Lit days 2026/27 — date and status
Two events back to back: miss the first and the next one starts on 19 November 2026.
ILLUMINARIUM im Innenhof des Landesmuseums
✓Thursday, 5 November 2026 – Wednesday, 30 December 2026 · 56 days
- Organiser
- ILLUMINARIUM
Source: illuminarium.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
«Lucy» — Weihnachtsbeleuchtung an der Bahnhofstrasse
✓from 19 November 2026 · end not published
- Organiser
- Vereinigung Zürcher Bahnhofstrasse
Source: bahnhofstrasse-zuerich.ch · checked on 12 October 2026
🕐 Lighting times and closed days
A period does not yet tell you whether the light is on your evening.
November Mon–Sat from 5 pm, December Mon–Sat from 4.45 pm, Sundays always from 3 pm (closed 24 and 25 Dec) · family shows until 8 pm every 45 minutes · Digital Art Show 8–10 pm every 30 minutes · bars until 11 pm, club until midnight
Switched on Thursday 19 November 2026 at 6 pm, during Zurich's Nightshopping
🗓️ Is it lit today?
54 days with something on, 16 of them on a Saturday or Sunday – enter your day and the check tells you what is open.
📅 Visit-day check
Pick the day you are free — the answer comes from the verified ConvivaPlus dataset, not from a run you have to work out in your head.
| Session | Run | Opening hours | Date set? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ILLUMINARIUM im Innenhof des Landesmuseums | Thu 5 Nov – Wed 30 Dec56 days | November Mon–Sat from 5 pm, December Mon–Sat from 4.45 pm, Sundays always from 3 pm (closed 24 and 25 Dec) · family shows until 8 pm every 45 minutes · Digital Art Show 8–10 pm every 30 minutes · bars until 11 pm, club until midnight | confirmed |
| «Lucy» — Weihnachtsbeleuchtung an der Bahnhofstrasse | from Thu 19 Novend not published | Switched on Thursday 19 November 2026 at 6 pm, during Zurich's Nightshopping | confirmed |
Calculated from the ConvivaPlus dataset — every row with its own source above.
📍 Start & getting there — where it begins
- Meeting point
- Innenhof des Landesmuseums Zürich, neben dem Hauptbahnhof
- Meeting point
- Bahnhofstrasse, Zürich (Einschaltung während des Nightshoppings)
🔦 Good to know from the organiser
What the organiser spells out: prices and what to bring.
- The front of the courtyard with bars, snacks and the fondue chalet is free to enter. A single show costs CHF 14.90 for adults, CHF 9.90 for ages 10–16, CHF 6.90 or 5.90 for ages 6–9; free up to age 5, children only with an adult.
- From 5 to 15 November the shows start 5 to 10 minutes later: it has to be dark enough first. The exact time is on the ticket.
- On Sundays from 3 to 6 pm there is a kids' disco in the courtyard, free entry (the English version of the site says 3 to 5 pm).
- From 20 November 2026 you can sponsor your own Lucy crystal; the proceeds go to the KISPI clowns at Zurich Children's Hospital and to the upkeep of the lights.
- “A Touch of Lucy”: during Advent a walk-in crystal installation on Züghusplatz brings Lucy down to eye level.
✨ What to expect
Lucy is not a string of fairy lights. It takes 20 days to put up: 1,050 metres long, 12,000 metres of steel cable, 110 tonnes of load and 11,500 crystals. It is named after the Beatles' “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and is privately funded. From 20 November you can sponsor your own crystal; the proceeds go to the clowns at Zurich Children's Hospital and to upkeep. To see Lucy up close, Züghusplatz has “A Touch of Lucy”, a crystal installation you can walk through.
The Illuminarium is the opposite: a programme with a clock. For the ninth time the courtyard of the National Museum becomes a screen. Until 8 pm the family shows run every 45 minutes, one of them made with Zurich Zoo; from 8 pm, every 30 minutes, a digital art show in which Paul Klee's paintings start to dance. The front part with bars and a fondue chalet is free to enter.
How do you see Zurich's lights?
One click – anonymous, no sign-up required.
🎯 Tips for the evening
Two lights, two ways to plan. What to know beforehand.
- 1Lucy: arrive early on switch-on night19 November 2026 is Nightshopping and the Bahnhofstrasse is packed. For a calmer view come another evening; Lucy stays on.
- 2Illuminarium: the time is on the ticketFrom 5 to 15 November the shows start 5 to 10 minutes later because it has to be dark enough first. Be there 15 minutes early.
- 3Know the pricesA single show: adults CHF 14.90, ages 10–16 CHF 9.90, ages 6–9 CHF 6.90 or 5.90, free up to 5. Children only with an adult. The front courtyard is free.
- 4No Illuminarium on Christmas EveThe Illuminarium is closed on 24 and 25 December and open on the other 54 evenings.
- 5Sundays with childrenEvery Sunday from 3 to 6 pm there is a kids' disco in the courtyard, free entry.
📊 Lit days compared with the neighbours
On 31 days Cham is on as well – two places in one outing.
Each bar is one light, dark this one, pale the nearest ones.
🗺️ Nearby — more lights
Out at the airport the Zauberpark runs during the same Advent, with light art on the panorama path and a stage every evening; all Zurich lights are on the canton page. To combine them with a market, Zurich's markets are with the Christmas markets.
All 23 verified lights in Switzerland in the overview.
More light trails and shows in the canton of Zurich
All of the canton of Zurich→Just across the canton border
❓ FAQ — in short
Answers from the verified dataset — no date is carried over from the previous year.
People also ask
Related questions from our magazine
Yes, the Zauberpark by the Circle, with light art and concerts.
Verified dates in the Christmas market calendar.
The Chemin des Lanternes in Crans-Montana, into March.
The ConvivaPlus verdict
For an evening walk Lucy is the Zurich light you have to see, preferably not on switch-on night. With children or if you want a programme, combine it with a show at the Illuminarium, a few minutes' walk from the main station.
Freshness note: The association does not publish how long Lucy stays on. Lucy and Illuminarium read at the source on 12 October 2026.
Check the latest: ConvivaPlus light trails dataset 2026/27 – Zurich →
- ◆Hands on: during Advent Züghusplatz has “A Touch of Lucy”, a crystal installation you can walk through.
🗓️ At the same time in the canton of Zurich
- 🏊 Winter swimming in the canton of Zurichfrom Fri 9 Oct
- 🚂 Festive rides in the canton of ZurichSun 1 Nov – Sun 28 Feb
- 🕯️ Candle dipping in the canton of Zurichfrom Mon 2 Nov
- 🏮 Turnip lanterns in the canton of ZurichThu 5 Nov · Fri 6 Nov · Sat 7 Nov · Sat 14 Nov
- 🛍️ Sunday shopping in the canton of ZurichSun 15 Nov – Sun 27 Dec
- ✨ Christmas markets in the canton of ZurichWed 18 Nov – Thu 24 Dec
- 🎅 St Nicholas in the canton of ZurichSun 29 Nov
- 🎭 Carnival in the canton of ZurichFri 12 Feb – Mon 15 Feb
How we check
Every date comes from the organiser's, the municipality's or the canton's own site — never from an aggregator, never copied over from last year. Next to each source is the date we last read it.
Something missing or changed? A note below is enough; we check it at the source.
ConvivaPlus Editor · Family & Day Trips
Writes about day trips, family and local life – honestly assessing what's worth it.
- Day trips
- Family
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All information without guarantee. Found an error? → support@conviva-plus.ch
For early planners: 14 of the 16 events with a fixed date start later than this one.
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✨ Light trails · 12 October 2026