Fodor's Expert Review Palais de Rumine

Built at the turn of the last century, this enormous neo-Renaissance structure houses several museums, all with a local spin. The top exhibit at the Musée Cantonal d'Archéologie et d'Histoire (Cantonal Archaeology and History Museum) is the gold bust of Marcus Aurelius discovered at nearby Avenches in 1939. The Musée Cantonal de Géologie (Cantonal Geology Museum) has an excellent fossil collection, including a mammoth skeleton. Besides its collection of regional fauna, the Musée Cantonal de Zoologie (Cantonal Zoology Museum) has a rare collection of comparative anatomy. Each museum has some descriptions or an abbreviated guide in English. All of these museums are free.