Museo storico etnografico Valle di Blenio

About the museum

Since 1979 the museum has occupied the Palazzo dei Landfogti in Lottigna, a stately 16th-century building on older walls dating from 1461. Its façade is painted with the coats of arms of the bailiffs from Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden, who jointly ruled the Blenio Valley from 1501 to 1598; inside, too, coats of arms and frescoes of the valley’s leading families decorate the rooms. The museum is run by an association that operates two sites, and it belongs to the association of Ticino folklore museums.

The collection shows rural crafts, sacred art, agriculture, viticulture, cheesemaking and beekeeping, and is devoted to features of the valley such as its long chocolate tradition, its adherence to the Ambrosian rite of Milan and the militias shaped by Napoleon. A richly illustrated section with a multimedia archive recalls the emigration from the Blenio Valley, for example of chocolatiers, chestnut roasters, ice-cream sellers and restaurateurs. A tower room is dedicated to the botanist Mosè Bertoni (1857–1929), who founded an agricultural colony in Paraguay; a section shows works by the sculptor Giovanni Genucchi (1904–1979).

The second site is the Cà da Rivöi in Olivone, a typical Blenio Valley house from 1658 that also served as a school and is known for its collection of sacred art. In the coming years the Palazzo dei Landfogti is to be restored and temporarily emptied for that purpose; the participatory exhibition “Radici” accompanies this renewal process. An RSI totem on the second floor gives access to hundreds of audio and video contributions about the valley.

Highlights

• 16th-century Palazzo dei Landfogti with painted coat-of-arms façade
• Cà da Rivöi in Olivone from 1658 with a collection of sacred art
• Section on the emigration of chocolatiers and restaurateurs
• Tower room for the botanist Mosè Bertoni
• Works by the sculptor Giovanni Genucchi

Permanent exhibitions

• Cà da Rivöi in Olivone – A typical Blenio Valley house from 1658, formerly also a school, houses the museum’s collection of sacred art.
• Totem RSI Valle di Blenio – Multimedia station on the second floor of the Palazzo dei Landfogti with hundreds of audio and video contributions from Swiss Radio and Television on the Blenio Valley since the 1930s.

Founded

1979

Operated by

Associazione Museo storico etnografico Valle di Blenio

Admission & discounts

Members of the museum association have free admission in Lottigna and Olivone; the RSI totem on the second floor of the Palazzo can be used during opening hours without an admission ticket. Prices according to the Association of Swiss Museums; the museum website gives no prices.

Accessibility

The Palazzo dei Landfogti in Lottigna is to be restored in the coming years and temporarily emptied for that purpose; the participatory exhibition “Radici” runs there until 8 November 2026. No date for the start of construction has been given.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

According to the Swiss Museums Association, the museum offers at least one programme for families and children; the events programme regularly includes hands-on afternoons and open-air cinema in the garden (ages 8 and up).

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

At the reception desk there are drinks and ice cream from the region, which can be enjoyed in the museum’s garden; the museum sells its own publications.

Events & venue rental

The Palazzo dei Landfogti in Lottigna is to be restored in the coming years and temporarily emptied for that purpose; the participatory exhibition “Radici” runs there until 8 November 2026. No date for the start of construction has been given.

Plan your visit