Museo di Valmaggia

About the museum

The museum was founded in 1962 as the association “Società del Museo di Valmaggia”, supported by public bodies of the valley and private members. Its aim was to save the material evidence of the valley’s culture, which was in danger of disappearing after the Second World War. In 1962 the association bought Palazzo Franzoni in Cevio Vecchio, which opened in 1963 as the museum’s home and housed the first regional ethnographic museum in Ticino.

Over the years further buildings were added: in 1986 Casa Respini-Moretti with exhibition rooms and administration, and later several grotti and rural buildings such as Grotto del Sole (1990), Grotto Cauzza (1997) and Grotto Palla (2017). In 1991 the museum received official recognition as a regional museum; since 2003 the roles of president and curator have been separate.

The permanent exhibition leads through several themed rooms, from rock and river to history, religion, women’s roles, life stages and cattle breeding, and finally soapstone craft. An underground passage connects the main building with a rock cellar beneath a large boulder, where wine, spirits and walnut oil were once produced. There are also four collections that can be viewed on request: books, manuscripts and postcards, devotional pictures, and farming objects.

Highlights

• Palazzo Franzoni, the first regional folk museum in Ticino
• Themed rooms on rock, religion, women, life cycle, cattle breeding and soapstone
• Underground passage to the rock cellar and a grotto beneath a boulder
• Educational grotti trail (Sentiero dei grotti)
• Silk umbrella of a 19th-century umbrella maker as evidence of seasonal emigration
• Theatrical tours, picnics and aperitifs among the grotti

Permanent exhibitions

• Esposizione permanente – Themed rooms on life in the Maggia Valley, from rock and river through religion, women and cattle breeding to soapstone craft, plus a rock cellar beneath a boulder.
• Sentiero dei grotti – Educational trail to the grotti and rural buildings around Cevio Vecchio.

Founded

1962

Operated by

Società del Museo di Valmaggia

Director

Alyce Martinoni (Kuratorin)

Admission & discounts

Association members can see the permanent exhibition free of charge on presentation of their membership fee. Free admission with the Museum Pass and Raiffeisen Mastercard/Visa; 20% discount with the Ticino Ticket, “My Ascona-Locarno” and TCS membership.

Accessibility

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

The wheelchair lift at the main building is currently out of service.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Family ticket CHF 20. School programmes for primary and secondary level, e.g. “In America voglio andar!” (emigration), “Nei panni dei valmaggesi” (traditional costumes) and “Caro rastrello” (role play as a curator), each CHF 200 per class of up to 20 children.

Getting there & parking

About 35 minutes by car from Locarno. The museum is in the historic district of Cevio Vecchio, about 300 metres north of the village centre.

Amenities & dining

Aperitifs and picnics among the grotti by reservation.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit