Lucerne, Switzerland: Alpineum

Back in 1885, Ernst Hodel Sr. purchased a building near the lion carving in Lucerne. The goal was to start a museum dedicated to the Alps ... and big enough to hold the major works of art.

It took until 1901, but finally Hodel's dream came true. The paintings inside fill up more than 500 square meters. The business is still in the family as of 2022. It's a little surprising that this isn't listed in the sights and tours section of the city guidebook.