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Museum · Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Ádige
Museo Archeologico dell'Alto Adige
Archaeological museum in central Bolzano where Ötzi, the Iceman, is displayed — the natural mummy of a man who lived around 5,300 years ago, with the clothes, the copper axe and the bow found with him.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Museo Archeologico dell'Alto Adige
On 19 September 1991 two mountaineers found a body emerging from the ice in the Ötztal Alps, on the border between Italy and Austria. It was the natural mummy of a man who lived around 3300 BC, in the Copper Age. He was nicknamed Ötzi, after the valley, and is the oldest known natural human mummy in Europe.
The Museo Archeologico dell'Alto Adige was set up to house him. The mummy is kept in a refrigerated chamber, with temperature and humidity equal to those of the glacier, and is viewed through a small window. Around it, the rooms display what was with him: leather and fur clothing, shoes lined with hay, a copper axe, an unfinished bow, arrows and a pouch with tools.
The museum also tells how scientists discovered what Ötzi ate, what illnesses he suffered from and how he died: an arrowhead lodged in his left shoulder indicates he was killed by another person. There are life-size reconstructions of how he would have looked in life.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday and also on Mondays in July and August; check before you go. Timed entry reservations are not required but are recommended to avoid the queue at the entrance.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
1h30 to 2h.
Best time
Right at opening or late in the afternoon, when there are fewer groups. In July, August and on holidays the queue is usually longer: book a timed entry.
How to get there
Via Museo, in central Bolzano, about a 5-minute walk from Piazza Walther and 10 minutes from Bolzano/Bozen station.
Tip
Start at the window of the chamber where the mummy is, then follow the rooms with the objects: that way the story makes more sense. There is an audio guide in several languages.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Museo Archeologico dell'Alto Adige
Who was Ötzi?
A man who lived around 3300 BCE and died in the Ötztal Alps. His body was preserved by the ice and found in 1991. It is the oldest known naturally preserved human mummy in Europe.
Can you see the real mummy?
Yes. It is kept in a refrigerated chamber and can be seen through a small window. The surrounding rooms display the original clothing, weapons and tools.
Is the museum open on Mondays?
Generally no, except in July and August and when Monday is a public holiday. Check before you go.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. Ötzi’s story, with life-size reconstructions, usually captures children's attention, and the museum has activities for families.