The South Tyrol Museum of Folk Traditions
Where History lives again!

About our Museum

According to the German ADAC Holiday Atlas, our Museum is one of the most beautiful open-air museums in Europe. It is spread over 4 hectares of land and includes also the stately residence Mair am Hof, which is the hearth of the Museum. It was founded in 1976. 

The Mair am Hof Residence hosts various museum collections: votive tablets, popular art objects, cithers, belts, traditional costumes, pipes, etc.

On the open-air site there are several old farms and workshops. These buildings show a variety of forms and structures, which indicate the role and social status of rural population. Various kinds of vegetables, herbs and flowers grow in the farm gardens. Farm and yard animals graze on the meadows.

The Mair am Hof Residence

The stately residence Mair am Hof was built between 1690 and 1700 by Anton Wenzel von Sternbach (1651 - 1716). During the last centuries the estate passed into the hands of several owners. Before hosting the Museum, the main building was used as a school.

The Open Air Site

The open air site is the natural completion of the Residence and it is definitely worth seeing. About a dozen of old farms, workshops and rural buildings have been kept here in their original condition. A variety of vegetable gardens, orchards and fields with farm animals complete the rural scenery of this amazing museum site.