What was rural life like in our valley? How has the Ladin language been preserved to this day? What is it about mountains that makes us breathlessly wonder?
Our valley's museums are much more than just a "bad weather programme": They carry us back in time, narrate the everyday life of our ancestors and reveal interesting background information about our region in order to truly experience the history of our people and territory.
About 2 km from Bruneck/Brunico, the South Tyrolean Folklore Museum, situated in the town of Dietenheim/Teodone, illustrates the former lifestyle of the rural population of the Pustertal valley. You can visit original farmhouses, workshops, granaries and stables in the outdoor area to discover how farmers, craftsmen and day labourers worked and lived in those days. The manor “Ansitz Mair am Hof”, on the other hand, shows what everyday life was like for the landed gentry. Moreover, theme days and events are regularly organised so as to share this knowledge with children and young people in an interesting way.
The Museum Ladin Ciastel de Tor in the village of St. Martin in Thurn/San Martino in Badia (Gadertal/Val Badia valley) also focuses on past ways of life. Located in the castle called “Schloss Thurn”, the museum addresses the history, culture and language of the Ladin population. In particular, the museum highlights the origins of the Ladin language, which has contributed significantly to the populations’ identity and has been preserved until today. The exhibitions on arts and crafts, archaeology, geology and tourism also reveal more about the cultural development of the Ladin.
Can't stop admiring the imposing mighty peaks? In that case, we recommend a visit to 3 museums that deal with the topic of mountains in a very special way. The first two are among Reinhold Messner's 6 Messner Mountain Museums. The MMM Ripa is located inside the old walls of the castle called “Schloss Bruneck”, offering an impressive approach to the lifestyles and traditions of the world's most important mountain cultures in Asia, Africa, South America and Europe through exhibitions and displays: the Touareg, Maasai, Mongols, Sherpas, Turkmen and Bedouins.
Continue your experience at MMM Corones, on the summit of our Kronplatz. The highest located museum in South Tyrol (2,275 m) was designed by the British-Iraqi star architect Zaha Hadid and covers topics related to rock, alpinism and the life of mountaineers. Another highlight: From this unique viewing platform you can enjoy an awe-inspiring view of the surrounding Dolomites which even extends to the Lienz and Belluno Dolomites.
Last but not least: the Museum of Mountain Photography LUMEN. Also situated on the plateau of our Kronplatz, this museum takes you on a journey through the world of mountain photography on an exhibition area of 1,800 sq.m. Admire historical cameras, discover important personalities, let yourself be introduced to the secrets of this art and its technique and find out what role the mountains actually play in advertising.
