Alpinarium Galtür

About the museum

On 23 February 1999 a massive avalanche struck the centre of Galtür in the upper Paznaun valley and claimed numerous lives. To protect the village, an avalanche protection wall about 345 metres long and 19 metres high was subsequently built. To put the large cavities of this structure to good use, the municipality decided to set up a house for exhibitions, research and encounters inside it.

The shell was designed by the Landeck architect Friedrich Falch, Galtür's longtime town planner; it was built in only five months. A team of experts developed the content concept and presented it in summer 2001, and from 2002 Swiss interior designers from Biel designed the rooms. The Alpinarium opened on 31 May 2003. It is run by a non-profit company whose sole shareholder is the municipality of Galtür.

The permanent exhibition "Ganz oben" ("At the Very Top") tells of the relationship between people and nature in the high-alpine region and of the history of the Walser village. The room of remembrance "Memento" keeps alive the memory of the avalanche victims. The house holds the Austrian Museum Seal of Quality and was nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award in 2007 and 2015. The building also includes a café with panoramic windows, an indoor bouldering wall as well as seminar rooms and an auditorium.

Highlights

• Museum inside a 345-metre-long avalanche protection wall
• Permanent exhibition "Ganz oben" on Galtür and life in the high mountains
• Room of remembrance "Memento" for the victims of the 1999 avalanche
• Café "Gefrorene Wasser" with sun terrace and panoramic view
• Indoor bouldering wall

Permanent exhibitions

• Ganz oben – Geschichten über Galtür und die Welt – Permanent exhibition on the coexistence of people and nature in the high-alpine region, using the mountain village of Galtür as an example.
• Memento – Raum der Erinnerung – Memorial room for the people who lost their lives in the avalanche disaster of 23 February 1999.

Founded

2003

Operated by

Alpinarium Galtür gemeinnützige GmbH (Gemeinde Galtür)

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The building has an indoor bouldering wall.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available

Café "Gefrorene Wasser" with sun terrace and panoramic windows; indoor bouldering wall in the building.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Seminar rooms and an auditorium with seminar technology; offers and packages on request.