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Local Heritage Museum & Ötztal's Memory Archives

On an exciting journey through time

Rattling, clattering, rushing and roaring – this is the sound of the 19th century when flax industry reached its peak in the Ötztal. Flax was said to be the valley‘s gold. Discover history close-by at the outdoor museum. Saw, mill, scutch and flax breaker are driven by the rushing waters of Lehnbach brook.

Time traveling can be so easy as soon as you enter one of the ten authentic buildings with all their original furniture. Among the attractions ranks Tirol‘s oldest wooden chest and a myriad of working tools. One of the unique farmhouses hosts the precious Memory Archives displaying even the smallest detail about the Ötztal and its inhabitants. Long past memories, modern funds of knowledge, future expectations. Various texts, images, audio and film documentations give an insight into Ötztal‘s life and work, its secrets and roots. Not without reason the Ötztal Dialect was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Starting point: Information Längenfeld
Walking time, both ways: 1.5 hours
Difficulty level: very easy
Difference in altitude: valley floor, no ascents

Ötztal Museums

Culture & Sustainability in perfect harmony

The Ötztal Museums combine a varied range of historical and cultural features with a genuine commitment to social and ecological sustainability:

Education with a contemporary focus: historical topics are explored in a holistic, interdisciplinary manner with an eye toward both the present and the future.
A varied museum landscape:
- Memory Archive: the living historical memory of Ötztal Valley.
- Tower Museum: a source of inspiration regarding art, history, self-perception and public image.
- Local Heritage & Open-air Museum: deep insights into daily life of historical mountain farmers and social transformation of the valley.
Sustainable practice: an open space for discourse that firmly embeds environmental awareness and social responsibility into the museum’s everyday operations.

For the Ötztal Museums, the Austrian Ecolabel represents a commitment to sustainability in practice at every level - from the preservation of historic structures and day-to-day museum operations to forward-looking educational work.