By the 12th century a castle was built in Münsingen town from which the Senn family ruled the town. However, it was demolished by Bern in 1311. A wooden outbuilding was built on the castle lands three years later, which later became the cantonal psychiatric clinic. In 1550 the Schultheiss Hans Franz Nägeli rebuilt the castle building into its current appearance. It was renovated and repaired in 1749–53. In 1977 the municipality acquired the castle and converted it into a municipal museum.
The museum is open Friday and Sunday from October until April. It contains two permanent exhibits as well as occasional temporary exhibits. The first permanent exhibit focuses on the history of the town and on the Steiger family who lived in the castle for almost three centuries. The second permanent exhibit focuses on the work of the famous puppeteer, Therese Keller (1923-1972) who was a pioneer in the puppet theater in Switzerland.
References:The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.