Experience original culture with all senses
The cultural programme in the Ötztal invites you to discover and experience all kinds of art as well as handicrafts and everyday history over the centuries up to the present day.
To get to know a holiday region in all its originality and uniqueness, a journey into the past is almost a must. It reveals the roots of the regional culture and allows you to see the country and its people with new eyes. The Ötztal offers two very special cultural venues for this purpose. There is also a colourful programme of events to experience art and culture in all its facets.
Längenfeld Museum of Local History and "Gedächtnisspeicher" (memory store)
It is rare to get as close to the rural life of yesteryear as in the local history and open-air museum in Längenfeld. While the bread is crisping in the antique oven (available in the museum from 10 a.m.), the ancient mill is grinding, the old saw is running, ... 16 historical buildings invite visitors to travel back in time. In order to experience the daily work of the past and traditional handicrafts with all your senses, you can also try out the tried and tested things for yourself. How were wool, linen, butter etc. once made?
The museum area is also home to the memory store, where the exhibition "Land - Varieties - Diversity. 100 years of the Tyrolean gene bank" will run until 24 October 2023. Interesting facts about old Tyrolean useful plants as biological treasures are supplemented with historical photos from the Ötztal. The permanent exhibition "Heimat ist, was nicht egal ist" (Home is what matters) presents life in the Ötztal from 1600 to 1930 and turns many a cliché on its head. Admission to the Heimatmuseum is free - see the box at the entrance to drop off your entry.
Opening hours:
- 1 June to 30 September: Monday to Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Sun 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
- in May and October: Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Tip: The audio guide in the Ötztal Museum of Local History is now also available in Ötztalese, in addition to German and English. 16 narrators tell historical stories about life in the valley with its customs, agricultural practices and much more. This ingenious opportunity to get closer to history and the legendary Ötztal dialect is also available online.
The Oetz Tower Museum as a bridge spanning centuries
The Oetz Tower Museum with its cultural-historical treasures - from furniture to sculptures to paintings - is also always worth a visit. The focus of the museum is on art. In particular, the focus is on the artistic view of the Ötztal and artistic creativity in the region. And it does so over the centuries right up to the present day. Until October 2024, the exhibition "Ötztal Glacier. Catastrophes, Climate Change, Art" can be seen here until October 2024. The exhibition ranges from the world's oldest glacier depiction by Abraham Jäger from 1601 to contemporary art.
Opening hours:
- Beginning of June to end of October: Wednesday - Sunday 14:00 - 18:00
- Mid-December to Easter: Thursday - Sunday 14:00 - 18:00 hrs
For further cultural enjoyment, a look at the event calendar is recommended, where numerous events on culture, customs and markets or theatre & show as well as musical performances are listed.