Messner's Mountain Museum

In planning our European junket, we chose two destinations on either side of the Alps as beginning and end points: Bavaria and the Italian Riviera. We would land in Munich and spend a week exploring the area and touring the castles of King Ludwig II. From Munich, we hopped a train to Bolzano in South Tyrol to witness the splendor of the Dolomites and visit one of Reinhold Messner's renowned mountain museums.

Messner, of course, is the first to climb the fourteen 8,000-meter peaks in the world, all without the use of supplemental oxygen or high-altitude porters. In addition to his climbing exploits and extreme expeditions, he is the best selling author of 60 books and the founder of the Messner Mountain Museums, a collection of six mountain-themed exhibitions.

Since we were in Bolzano, we hopped in a cab to Firmian, the extensive castle and fortifications dating to 945 AD where Reinhold Messner established the fourth of his six mountain museums in South Tyrol. The menagerie, located on the hills immediately west of Bozano, explores the relationship between humans and mountains from a variety of spiritual, economic, philosophical and cultural perspectives.

The self-guided exhibition leads visitors a journey through walls, towers and plains, beginning in the depths, examining formation, rock and exploitation, then moves on to explore myths and religions before focusing on tourism and alpinism. Architecture, art and nature combine to weave a compelling narrative. The tour is not predetermined and participants may explore on their own and at their own pace.

The centerpiece of the six mountain museums, Firmian features a treasure trove of Tibetan art and exhibits on Tibetan life and culture, including shrine rooms, altars and deity statues.

The museum focuses on man's connection with the mountains.