Toggenburger Museum
Regional museum in the old town centre of Lichtensteig with collections on the history, folk art, musical instruments and farmers’ painting of the Toggenburg.
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About the museum
The foundation for the Toggenburger Museum was laid in 1896 by history enthusiasts from Lichtensteig with an initially temporary exhibition. In 1920 the collection moved from the old Amtshaus to its present home on Hauptgasse, the residential and commercial building of the cloth merchants Leiter and Lorenz. Across two floors, eleven rooms display the holdings; the vaulted cellar serves the museum for special exhibitions, and the ground floor holds the archive and library with valuable manuscripts.
The permanent exhibition leads from the first traces of humans in the Wildenmannlisloch on the Selun, through the rule of the Counts of Toggenburg and the period under the Prince-Abbey of St. Gallen, to textile production in the weaving cellars and the emerging tourism. Further rooms are devoted to folk art: painted farmhouse furniture, traditional costumes, as well as Senntum and Täfeli painting, which emerged when furniture painting went out of fashion in the mid-19th century.
Dedicated sections cover the region’s typical musical instruments, the house organ and the thirteen-string neck zither, as well as domestic culture and decorative arts, from brass pots to four-poster beds. The museum sees itself as the memory of the region and also houses a documentation centre with photographs, films and a library.
Highlights
- Painted farmhouse furniture and Senntum and Täfeli painting
- House organs and neck zithers, the typical Toggenburg instruments
- Regional history from the Wildenmannlisloch to winter tourism
- Domestic culture and decorative arts in eleven rooms on two floors
- Archive and library with manuscripts on the ground floor
Permanent exhibition
- Dauerausstellung zur Region Toggenburg – In eleven rooms, the museum shows the regional history, folk art, musical instruments, domestic culture and farmers’ painting of the Toggenburg.
- Founded
- 1896
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | CHF 6AHV (senior citizens), students |
| Children & teens | CHF 4Children aged 6 to 16 |
| Seniors | CHF 6AHV (senior citizens) |
| Students & apprentices | CHF 6 |
| Groups | –Group tour approx. 1 hour (max. 16 people, two tours at the same time possible) flat fee CHF 100 plus admission. |
| Standard tour for groups (approx. 1 hr, max. 16 people) | CHF 100Flat fee, plus admission |
| Special tour on request | CHF 130Depending on effort, at least CHF 130 |
Admission is free with the Museum Pass or Raiffeisen card; holders of the KulturLegi pay a reduced admission.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
A crossword puzzle for the museum visit is available for school classes.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Lichtensteig Obertor
By bus from Wattwil to “Lichtensteig Obertor”, or about a 12-minute walk from Lichtensteig station.
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 · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours for groups and school classes on request, all year round; for pupils there is a crossword puzzle to solve online or print out. |
