Heimatmuseum Gandahus
Local history museum in a 16th-century wooden house and a granary from 1779 in Vals, showing the culture of the Walser in the Valsertal; visible on guided tours.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Gandahus in Vals is regarded as a largely preserved example of the oldest type of Valser wooden house. The residential house dates from the 16th century; the museum also includes the Zerfreila-Spicherli, a granary from 1779. The local history museum opened in 1947.
The local heritage collection is devoted to the cultural history of the Walser in the Valsertal. On display are furniture and household goods, tools of various crafts, objects from hunting and farming, and textiles; a new addition is a shoemaking display. A separate permanent exhibition recalls, with a radio play, historical picture documents and a staged photo sequence set to music, the chapter of the Schwabengänger in Walser history.
The museum is accessible only on guided tours. Connoisseurs of Valser culture lead visitors through the house and granary, explain the background of the exhibits, and show how people lived and farmed in the valley in earlier times. In summer there are additional playful tours for children.
Highlights
- 16th-century Valser wooden house, of the oldest house type in the valley
- Zerfreila-Spicherli from 1779
- Furniture, household goods, crafts, hunting, farming and textiles of the Walser
- Exhibition on the Schwabengänger with radio play
- Guided tours led by experts on Valser culture, in summer also for children
Permanent exhibitions
- Kulturgeschichte der Walser im Valsertal – Local heritage collection in the house and granary with furniture, household goods, crafts, hunting, farming and textiles, newly supplemented by a shoemaking display.
- Schwabengänger – A radio play with historic pictorial documents and a staged photo sequence with music draw attention to the era of the Schwabengänger in Walser history.
- Founded
- 1947
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | CHF 4school pupils |
| Children & teens | CHF 4free up to age 7 · Children up to age 7 free; school pupils CHF 4. |
| Students & apprentices | CHF 4Price for school pupils. |
| Groups (10+ people) | CHF 6 per personSchool groups CHF 3 per person. |
| Tour for only one or two participants (flat fee) | CHF 25 |
| Children's tour (ages 5–12) | CHF 3Adult escorts CHF 8; a maximum of three children per adult. |
The prices apply to the guided tour of the museum.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 7 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
In summer (in 2026 on several Thursdays in July and August, 14:00) there are playful children's tours for children aged 5 to 12; an adult escort is required.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
By train to Ilanz and then by PostBus to Vals. From the Vals post stop the museum is about a 5-minute walk away.
By car
Parking available
Park by the schoolhouse or on the Bidem.
By car via Chur and Ilanz; at the roundabout in Ilanz turn toward Vals. The meeting point for tours is the Visit Vals tourist office.
Get directionsAmenities & 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 | The tour of the Gandahus and the Zerfreila-Spicherli takes a good hour. Registration through Visit Vals is required. |
