Heimat- und Bergführermuseum St. Niklaus
In the Meierturm of St. Niklaus, the museum tells of the mountain guide pioneers of the Nikolai Valley and displays minerals and household items of the ancestors.
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About the museum
The museum is in the Meierturm in the village centre of St. Niklaus, the oldest surviving building in the Nikolai Valley. The residential tower dates back to 1273, as confirmed by dating of the cellar beams. It has been protected since 1974 and was comprehensively renovated between 1986 and 1996. The mountain guide museum opened its doors there on 10 June 2000; it is run by the municipality of St. Niklaus.
The focus is on the mountain guides of the Nikolai Valley, the "Zaniglaser". From the mid-19th century, families such as the Lochmatters, Knubels, Pollingers and Imbodens shaped mountain guiding worldwide and made numerous first ascents. On several floors, the museum shows old and new equipment, portraits of the guides' lives and figures dressed in the clothing of different eras; multimedia stations with a three-dimensional representation of the landscape complement the tour.
The attached local history museum was created under the direction of the Pro Nikolai foundation and collects objects from the crafts, farming and households of the village's former inhabitants. Modern glass display cases also show a selection of the finest mineral finds from the valley, above all garnet, vesuvianite, diopside, epidote and quartz, as well as rarer species such as perovskite, natrolite, precious serpentine and clinochlore.
Highlights
- Meierturm of 1273, the oldest surviving building in the Nikolai Valley
- History of the Zaniglaser mountain guide families and their first ascents
- Historical and current mountain guide equipment
- Minerals from the Nikolai Valley in all-glass display cases
- Local history museum with objects from crafts, farming and household life
Permanent exhibitions
- Bergführermuseum im Meierturm – The permanent exhibition leads through 150 years of mountain guiding tradition of the Zaniglaser pioneers, with equipment, portraits of their lives and multimedia stations.
- Mineralienausstellung – A selection of the finest mineral finds from the Nikolai Valley, including garnet, vesuvianite, diopside, epidote and quartz.
- Heimatmuseum – Old objects from the crafts, farming and households of the ancestors in the Nikolai Valley.
- Founded
- 2000
- Operated by
- Einwohnergemeinde St. Niklaus
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | CHF 3Pensioners and students |
| Children & teens | CHF 2Age limit not specified |
| Seniors | CHF 3Pensioners |
| Students & apprentices | CHF 3 |
| Groups | CHF 3 per personper person |
| Families | CHF 12 |
Free admission or a discount with the Museum Pass, according to the Association of Swiss Museums.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | CHF 12 |
|---|
The municipality describes the offering as suitable for young and old; children pay a reduced admission and there is a family price.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
St. Niklaus (Bahnhof) · 2-min walk
St. Niklaus station of the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway is about a two-minute walk from the museum.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Group tours on request, with an apéro if desired (price on request). The museum spans several floors in the tower. |
