If you're planning a holiday in Alagna Valsesia and want to discover the history and culture of the area, don’t miss the chance to visit the local museums. Here are the updated opening hours for the main museums in the area: the Walser Museum, the San Lorenzo Factory in Kreas, and the Angelo Mosso Institute.
Opened in 1976, the Walser museum is an ancient building dated 1628, perfectly preserved and an intact example of what a Walser house looked like through the centuries and its use.
The Walser built homes that contained stables, bedrooms, living area and store rooms all under one roof in a harmonious setting respecting the fundamental needs of these high altitude farmers.The museum shows how the ancient Walser knew how to build their homes using an efficient system which was well suited to their needs of self-sufficiency and tells the story of their daily lives through the instruments commonly used, treading a careful path in the material culture of the ancient Alagna people.
The Building, on 3 floors, has a stone basement, dry-built, where it's settled the wooden part “Blockbau, fully made with original wood while the cover is made with stone slab “blatte”.
In the current set-up of the museum in the basement there are the shed “Godu”, with a stone floor, the living room “Stand” next to it and communicating, with a wooden floor, the kitchen “Firhus” with the tools to cook, the room for the milk-related works and the room for the production of clothes and the weaving of te hemp.
At first floor, over the shed, are mounted the sleeping room “Stuba” with the alcove, the rom for the storage of the tools of the carpenter, the room of the handcraft tools and the room of the documents.At the last floor it's possible to visit the barn “Stodal” where are exposed the tools for agriculture and the woodcraft and the pantry “Spicher” with shelf and rack used to preserve food and cereals. Around the building are perfectly kept the the balcony wit poles, typical of Walser houses.
Summer 2025 Opening Hours:
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM / 3:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Closed Monday and Wednesday mornings 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM / 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM
San Lorenzo in Kreas is an ancient mining site located in the heart of Alagna Valsesia’s “gold district.” Inside, you can still see the large millstones that were used to crush gold-bearing ore extracted from the local mines. This site is a valuable testament to the history of gold mining on Monte Rosa, one of the most important mining areas in the Western Alps.
Summer 2025 Opening Hours:
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM / 3:30 PM – 6:30 PM 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM / 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM
At an altitude of 2,901 meters on Col d’Olen stands the Angelo Mosso Institute, founded in 1907 by the Turin-born physiologist Angelo Mosso, a pioneer in the study of human adaptation to high altitude.
Today, the Institute is part of the University of Turin’s research station network and is one of the highest permanent scientific laboratories in Europe.
By visiting, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the Monte Rosa massif and discover a story of scientific research and innovation that has made Alagna an internationally recognized research hub.
Guided tours every Monday, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM - this is the only way to access and experience this extraordinary place up close.
Visitor Tips:
It is recommended to always check for possible schedule changes with the Alagna Valsesia Tourist Office. For full details on guided tours, visit: https://www.alagna.it/blog/visite-guidate-alagna-valsesia/
