Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum

About the museum

The museum is entirely dedicated to Ötzi, the Man from the Ice, found by chance on 19 September 1991 in the glaciers of the Alps. It is housed in the former branch of the Austro-Hungarian Bank in Bolzano, designed by the architect Rudolf Eisler and built between 1912 and 1913. After the First World War the building passed to the Banca d'Italia; in the 1980s it was acquired by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano and, after a renovation begun in 1996 that preserved its neo-Baroque and Art Nouveau elements, the museum opened on 28 March 1998.

The permanent exhibition is spread over three floors. The ground floor tells the story of the discovery and its worldwide media echo; on the first floor the originals are displayed, that is the mummy, visible through a window into its temperature-controlled cell, together with the clothing and equipment; the second floor explores life in the Copper Age, scientific research, the mystery of the murder, the realistic three-dimensional reconstruction of Ötzi and the archaeology of the glaciers.

The museum also offers a family section with guided tours at weekends and a free audio guide for children.

Highlights

• Mummy of Ötzi, 5,300 years old, visible through a window
• Original clothing and equipment from the Copper Age
• Realistic three-dimensional reconstruction of Ötzi
• The story of the 1991 discovery and the research
• 1913 building with neo-Baroque and Art Nouveau elements

Permanent exhibition

• Ötzi, l’Uomo venuto dal ghiaccio – Permanent exhibition over three floors devoted to Ötzi: the discovery, the mummy, the original clothing and equipment, life in the Copper Age and research.

Founded

1998

Operated by

Provincia autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige

Visitors per year

approx. 296,066

Admission & discounts

Tickets are bought only at the till on the day of the visit; online booking of entry, recommended to avoid queues, involves no payment. The ticket also covers temporary exhibitions. Free admission for ICOM members and members of the Museumsbund Österreich, journalists, and serving members of the police and armed forces. The museum does not take part in the “Domenica al museo” initiative. Guest cards are no longer accepted.

Accessibility

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

The museum is free of architectural barriers and the floors can be reached by lift. Braille descriptions are not available. There are no priority lanes at the entrance: booking is recommended to avoid waiting.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties: not available

Guided tours for families with children aged 6 to 11 on Saturdays and Sundays at 15:30 (€4 per person, no booking required); free children's audio guide “Mission Ötzi” (ages 6–10) in Italian, German and English; Family Zone with materials to touch in summer (1 July–31 August, 12:00–18:00, included in the ticket). Birthday parties are not possible.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the historic centre, 15 minutes on foot from the central railway station.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Bookshop with the same opening hours as the museum (access without a ticket). Lockers of various sizes with €1 or €2 coins, including for suitcases. The museum has no internal café. Bringing in and consuming food is prohibited.

Events & venue rental

As far as we know, the museum does not rent out spaces for external events.

The museum does not offer rental spaces or private parties.

Plan your visit