Five decades of museum history – captured in photographs, objects, buildings and personal memories. The exhibition “Framed memories” invites visitors to trace the development of the museum from its beginnings in 1976 to the present day.
The history of the museum begins in 1976 with Hans Grießmair. What started with the collection and preservation of the first objects developed over the following years into an important museum dedicated to the rural culture and way of life of South Tyrol. In 1980, the museum opened its doors to the public for the first time.
The historic Mair am Hof estate forms the starting point. Until 1984, it housed the School of Agriculture and Home Economics. After the school moved to newly constructed buildings, extensive restoration work began on the site. Existing buildings and walls were repaired, creating the conditions for their new use.
At the same time, the collection continued to grow. From the first objects collected, an impressive collection of more than 65,000 objects has developed over the course of five decades. Each individual piece represents a part of everyday, working and cultural history and helps to make past ways of life visible and understandable.
A special chapter in the museum’s history is connected with the historic farmsteads that were brought to Dietenheim from different parts of South Tyrol. The Höfeler from the Ahrntal Valley, the Kleinfornella from the Gadertal Valley and the barn of the Ursch farm from Mölten were carefully dismantled, documented, transported by truck and rebuilt on the museum grounds. In this way, a unique ensemble of historic buildings was created, preserving rural architecture and ways of life from times past.
The history of the museum, however, has also been marked by difficult moments. During the night of 2 December 1982, a fire destroyed the barn of the Ursch farm from Schlaneid and the Kleinfornella farm. Numerous firefighters from the surrounding area were called to the scene and attempted to save the buildings and their contents. In the end, only ruins remained. The photographs from that night recall one of the most dramatic moments in the history of the museum, which was still in its early years at the time.
Despite this serious setback, the museum continued to develop. Over the years, numerous additional areas were added: the apiary, the flax-breaking hut, the Venetian sawmill, the Chapel of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and various stations illustrating crafts, agriculture and everyday life. Landscape features such as the pond and the mill valley also became important parts of the museum.
Alongside collecting and preserving, scholarly work has become increasingly important. The museum documents, researches and publishes its collections. Since 2009, the publication series “Beiträge zur Volkskultur/Contributi di cultura popolare” has been published regularly. Research projects help to deepen knowledge about the objects and to pass it on to future generations.
The numerous temporary exhibitions are also a reflection of this development. They explore a wide variety of subjects. Each exhibition offers a new perspective on the collection and on the stories of the people behind the objects.
At the heart of all these developments are people. Staff members, associations, organisations and numerous volunteers have supported and shaped the museum over the decades. The connection with the village of Dietenheim is particularly close. The volunteer fire brigade supports the museum during events, exercises and celebrations and also contributes its expertise to fire prevention and safety.
Since 1986, the Day of Folk Music has also been held regularly in cooperation with the Südtiroler Volksmusikkreis, the Aufhofen/Dietenheim Music Band and the Heimatpflegeverband Südtirol. Music, singing and dancing transform the museum into a lively place of encounter and exchange.
A museum, however, does not live by its collections and buildings alone. It lives through the people who visit it, use it and help shape it. For children in particular, the museum is a place of discovery where history can be experienced with all the senses – through playing, observing and trying things out.
The display panels under the title “Framed Memories” tell stories of new beginnings and change, loss and renewal, collecting and research, shared work and the joy of preserving.
Every photograph captures a special moment. Every object tells its own story. Together, they create a picture of five decades in which the museum has grown and changed while preserving its most important mission: to keep the past alive and pass it on to the future.
