Complesso museale del Monte Verità

About the museum

Around 1900, dropouts and life reformers settled on the hill above Ascona, then called Monescia. Around Henry Oedenkoven, Ida Hofmann and the Gräser brothers, a community emerged with a vegetarian diet, horticulture, light-and-air huts and a free way of life. In the following decades the hill attracted anarchists, artists, writers, dancers and thinkers from all over Europe and became known as "Monte Verità" ("Mountain of Truth").

In 1926 Baron von der Heydt acquired the site, had a hotel built in the Bauhaus style and used the estate as his private residence. After his death in 1964, his bequest stipulated that the hill should serve international artistic and cultural activities at the highest level; the Fondazione Monte Verità was founded in 1989 jointly by the Canton of Ticino and ETH Zurich. Today it operates a hotel, a restaurant, a conference centre and the museums here.

The Casa Anatta, formerly the Baron's residence, was used for exhibitions from 1979 and opened as a historical museum in 1981. It houses the exhibition "Monte Verità. Le mammelle della verità", designed by Harald Szeemann in 1978 with around 975 objects, supplemented by a more recent presentation, "Le verità di una montagna". The museum complex also includes the Casa Selma, a light-and-air hut from 1904, the Padiglione Elisarion with the panoramic painting "Il Chiaro Mondo dei Beati" by Elisàr von Kupffer, and the Casa dei Russi for temporary exhibitions.

Highlights

• Casa Anatta with the historic Szeemann exhibition "Le mammelle della verità"
• Casa Selma, a light-and-air hut from 1904 with a film screening on the history of the hill
• Padiglione Elisarion with the panoramic painting "Il Chiaro Mondo dei Beati" by Elisàr von Kupffer
• Bauhaus hotel and park grounds
• Media guide to the personalities of Monte Verità

Permanent exhibitions

• Monte Verità. Le mammelle della verità – Reconstruction of the exhibition Harald Szeemann presented in the Casa Anatta in 1978, with around 975 objects on the history of the hill.
• Le verità di una montagna – Supplementary media presentation by Andreas Schwab with screens and audio stations on the cultural significance of Monte Verità.
• Il Chiaro Mondo dei Beati – In the Padiglione Elisarion: the panoramic painting by Elisàr von Kupffer consisting of 16 canvases with 33 scenes, accompanied by an exhibition on its creators.

Founded

1981

Operated by

Fondazione Monte Verità

Admission & discounts

Prices apply to the Casa Anatta; the Casa Selma is freely accessible. According to the museum, free admission is granted with, among others, the Swiss Travel Pass, Museum Pass, Raiffeisen membership, ICOM, VMS and AG Culturel; 20% discount with Ticino Ticket and Cultural Pass, 10% with the "My Ascona-Locarno" app.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

School programmes for primary and lower secondary level on topics such as vegetarianism, freedom and closeness to nature (in Italian).

Getting there & parking

By car via the A13 to the Ascona exit, towards the centre of Ascona, after the roundabout turn right and follow the signs to Monte Verità. Taxi from Locarno station about 15 minutes, around CHF 30.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Restaurant on Monte Verità (2026 season 18 March–7 November, lunch and dinner daily), Japanese tea house in the park. Publications on Monte Verità are available in the foundation's bookshop; orders via the website.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 400 guests.

Luce dining hall (120 people), Baron's Gallery (32), panoramic terrace (60), auditorium and seminar rooms (6–120), outdoor areas for up to 400 guests; conference centre and hotel with space for 86 overnight guests.

Plan your visit