Abstract: In this paper, the experimental model of soft-collision limiting displacement in base isolation is proposed. Correspondingly, soft-collision buffers are designed and made. Buffers are made up of steel spiral spring buffers and compound soft-collision buffers consisting of U-shaped steel plate and I-shaped lead. The mechanical experiments of buffers are carried out and the characteristic parameters are obtained. Shaking table model test is performed to examine the efficiency of soft-collision buffers. It is found that the peak floor drift and the peak isolation layer displacement are related with both the reserved distance and the rigidity of soft-collision buffers. The design of soft-collision buffers can be optimized by limiting the floor drift and isolation layer displacement within the permissive level.