Heimatmuseum Oberstdorf

About the museum

The museum is housed in an old Oberstdorf mountain farmhouse on Oberer Markt that dates back to 1620. It is one of the few buildings in the village center to have survived the great fire of May 6, 1865, which destroyed almost half of the village. In the 19th century the house at times accommodated a dairy.

On June 19, 1932, the local history museum opened in the historic rooms and over time was expanded to today's 37 exhibition rooms on three floors with about 700 square meters. Since 1993 the association Verein Heimatmuseum Oberstdorf e.V. has looked after the house and collection; volunteer members lead tours through the rooms. In 2014 a dedicated room on the history of tourism was added.

The exhibition shows how the inhabitants of the remote mountain village lived and made their living: from the originally preserved farmhouse parlor, kitchen and bedroom to flax cultivation, farming and alpine farming, and cheesemaking. Other areas are devoted to traditional costume and customs, the painters J. A. Fischer and the Schraudolph brothers, the opening up of the mountains by mountaineers and ski pioneers, and taxidermied animals of the Alpine region. A special item is the enormous leather ski boot made by court shoemaker Josef Schratt, which to this day is considered the largest handmade leather ski boot in the world.

Highlights

• World's largest handmade leather ski boot
• Originally preserved Oberstdorf farmhouse parlor
• Pioneers of mountaineering, skiing and ski jumping
• The Great Fire of 1865
• Flax and dairy farming in the "blue Allgäu"

Permanent exhibitions

• Heimatmuseum Oberstdorf – Dauerausstellung – 37 rooms on three floors on living, farming and alpine farming, customs, artists, mountaineering, tourism and nature in Oberstdorf.

Founded

1932

Operated by

Heimatmuseum Oberstdorf e.V.

Admission & discounts

Adult price from age 16. Card payment not possible.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The historic house is hardly accessible; with some assistance the ground-floor rooms can be visited. Dogs are not allowed in the exhibition.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Getting there & parking

A few minutes' walk from the market square.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Small museum shop with books and booklets on Oberstdorf history.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit