Winter 1936–7
Adolf Busch and Walter Schulthess, head of the Zurich Concert Society, are entrusted with the task of establishing an élite orchestra.

1934
Oskar Eberle founds the Lucerne Minstrels to perform the great plays of world literature on the open-air stages in Hertenstein and Dietschiberg.

1933
The new Art and Congress Building, with concert hall, begins operations.
The City of Lucerne acquires the Villa am Rhyn (Tribschen) and opens it to the public as a Richard Wagner Museum.

1932
The Lucerne Festival Society is founded.

1910
Richard Strauss, Siegfried Wagner, Ernest Ansermet, Adolf Busch and Alfred Cortot point to Lucerne as a suitable site for a festival.
Richard Strauss and Max Reinhardt include Lucerne among their first choices for their festival scheme, which eventually results in the Salzburg Festival in 1920.

19th century
The General Swiss Society of Music holds music festivals in Lucerne.

16th century
150 musicians from practically all the Swiss cantons, especially those in the near vicinity, come to Lucerne for the Easter and Passion plays.