Montreux Miniature's Show Comes to Fort de Chillon Museum

Three Days of Free Workshops to Discover the World of Figurines

Demonstration Schedule

Wednesday, March 18, 2026 – 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Setup and first painting demonstrations by two figurine artists who will kick off this exceptional event.

Thursday, March 19, 2026 – 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Full day with 7 to 8 French and Swiss figurine artists offering painting and figurine construction demonstrations. Molding and painting workshops will be active all day.

Friday, March 20, 2026 – 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Final morning of workshops with 7 volunteers present for demonstrations before dismantling and moving to Clarens for the Montreux Miniature's Show.

Educational Workshops Combining History and Creativity

These free workshops offered by passionate volunteers from Montreux Miniature's Show primarily touch on the disciplines of history, but also geography and citizenship. Societies from Antiquity to the present day can be explored through their representation in the form of figurines, arranged in dioramas (miniature scenes with scenery) to commemorate an event.

The Steps of Creating a Historical Figurine

The creation of historical figurines includes several stages: design, molding, assembly, and painting. While it is possible to purchase already finished figurines to focus on collecting, dioramas, or gaming aspects, most enthusiasts carry out some of the steps themselves, or even the entire process.

The Molding Workshop: An Immersive Experience

The facilitator explains the molding process and invites children to participate. This involves preparing the mold, melting tin on a plate in a crucible, pouring the metal into the mold, and finally demolding and cooling the figurine. A fascinating experience that provides concrete understanding of the artisanal manufacturing of metal figurines.

The Painting Workshop: Bringing Figurines to Life

The facilitator presents the workstations and materials. Children paint under the supervision of figurine artists and facilitators, learning basic techniques to bring their creations to life. Each child leaves with their own figurine, a unique souvenir created with their own hands.

Please note: molding and painting workshops for children will only be active on Thursday all day and Friday morning. Painting demonstrations by professional figurine artists will begin on Wednesday after the workstations are set up.

Montreux Miniature's Show: An Unmissable Event Since 2006
After these three days at Fort de Chillon, the volunteers will move to the Clarens Sports Hall for the 2026 edition of Montreux Miniature's Show, taking place on March 21-22, 2026. This unmissable annual event features:

An international competition for figurines and models
Specialized sales stands
Painting and model-building demonstrations
Figurine gaming tournaments, including Warhammer
Figurine gaming demonstrations

Admission is free for all visitors.

A Perfect Meeting Between Military History and Miniaturism

The choice of Fort de Chillon Museum as the venue for these preparatory workshops is no coincidence. This interactive 2,125 m² museum, housed in a super-fortress built between 1941 and 1942, offers an ideal setting to explore Swiss military history through figurines. Open to the public since December 2020, Fort de Chillon offers total immersion in the daily life of the Swiss citizen-soldier, with over 20 rooms to visit, projections, sound effects, and playful scenography. The constant temperature of 19°C year-round makes visiting enjoyable regardless of the weather.

Fort de Chillon Museum is located opposite the famous Chillon Castle, 30 minutes from Lausanne. Accessible by car (parking with blue disc), bus (stop in front of the Fort), or CGN boat.