MMM Ripa, spaces of encounter

At some point during my youth, I caught the bug, as my father was bursting with ideas about his newly founded mountain museum project at the time. I found it all incredibly exciting: how visions take shape, what architectural conditions can achieve, and how stories are ultimately told and made tangible. There was a magic to it that shaped and inspired me, and it still does to this day.

Anyone who visits the Messer Mountain Museums will feel this too – at some point, everyone is struck with awe, makes discoveries, and arrives at their own inner realisations. This is what makes a visit to our museums a unique experience, one that surprises people from all over the world day after day.

There are six meeting places in total that make up the Messner Mountain Museum, or MMM for short, each exploring the relationship between humans and mountains in all its facets. A mosaic that can open visitors’ eyes to the values inherent in the world’s mountains since time immemorial: timelessness, despite their transience; dangers that we fear yet refuse to acknowledge today; and deceleration, which we all desperately need.



Bruneck Castle: A symbol of resilience and change

For years, my father searched for the ideal location for his fifth museum, which was to be dedicated to the ways of life, cultures, and challenges faced by mountain peoples around the world. Among the numerous sites, buildings, and offerings, Bruneck Castle stood out.

The medieval castle majestically overlooks the town and offers a magnificent view of the surrounding alpine farms, the Ahrntal valley, and the Zillertal Alps. Its thick walls and narrow windows bear witness to a time when people had to contend with the harsh conditions of the alpine region – a parallel to the mountain peoples whose stories the museum tells. It is a place where the values of mountain peoples – resilience, adaptability, and a close connection to their surroundings – are reflected; and a fitting setting in which to tell the stories of these cultures. Its proximity to the town, making it easily accessible, and its immediate vicinity to the South Tyrolean Museum of Folklore, which focuses on local rural culture, made it the perfect location overall.

Originally, it was also planned to use the surrounding green spaces for a mountain animal park with large enclosures, providing a home for domestic animals from the world’s mountains, such as yaks, llamas, Bactrian camels, Cameroon sheep, cashmere goats, Tibetan ponies, and South Tyrolean breeds. However, this concept was never implemented.



The museum as a legacy of the mountains

“Here I can give back what South Tyrol and its mountains have given me – a thrilling journey of discovery to the mountains of the world and into the dark crevices of my soul.” This is what my father wrote to the then mayor of Bruneck in 2007. His goal: to raise awareness among people about the challenges faced by mountain peoples in a globalised world.

The MMM Ripa is not about geography or mountaineering, but about the people who live at high altitudes – on all continents. The name comes from the Tibetan language: “ri” means mountain, “pa” means person. At the heart of the museum is the question of how people have adapted to extreme conditions in the high mountains – and what cultural, spiritual, and economic forms have emerged from this.

The exhibition is thematically organised, inviting visitors on a journey through the Himalayas, the Atlas Mountains, or the Andes in different rooms. The diversity is impressive, yet similar survival strategies emerge: in craftsmanship, nutrition, faith, or architecture. Artefacts such as tools, clothing, musical instruments, and living spaces illustrate daily life. At the same time, religious objects and images provide insight into spiritual worlds and the close connection between humans and nature.

Paintings from three centuries accompany visitors through the castle. Modern architecture complements the historical elements gently and opens up new perspectives. Music, language, and light make the atmosphere tangible – a sensory, holistic experience.

 

Focus on what unites rather than divides

At MMM Ripa, we do not aim to preach but to inspire. Our goal is for visitors not only to learn about foreign ways of life but also to gain new perspectives on their own lives. Especially in times of climate crisis, political extremism, and cultural prejudices, we need empathy, respect, and dialogue.

A key element of the museum is direct cultural exchange. For many years, we have hosted festivals, themed weeks, conferences, and most recently the Mountain Music Festival. We invited representatives of various mountain peoples to Bruneck – to learn from each other and jointly create new forms of encounter.

In the future, we want to place even greater emphasis on the present. With a planned “Artists in Residence” programme, we will invite artists from mountain regions to share their current experiences, concerns, and visions. These contemporary impulses will then be integrated into the permanent exhibition – a lively, collaborative process.

 

Balancing responsibility and sensitivity

Another challenge lies in how we present cultures. We are aware that it requires great sensitivity to authentically depict the ways of life and traditions of mountain peoples without romanticising or simplifying them. Communicating spiritual and ecological knowledge to a Western audience is also demanding. Here, we want to take responsibility and remain open to criticism and new perspectives. We increasingly want to tell stories with communities rather than about them. This includes expanding the exhibition with digital media: more background, more context, more voices. This makes it clear that many objects are not simply “exhibits” but meaningful cultural artefacts far from their place of origin.

It is also important to us to question our own position. We report from a European perspective – with all the cultural capital and history that entails. This perspective is shaped by colonialism, inequality, and privilege. That is why we invite all visitors to walk through the museum thoughtfully – and to reflect on themselves, their origins, and their responsibilities.

 

A place of inspiration

The MMM Ripa is more than just a museum; it is a place that tells stories and builds bridges – between past and present, between the cultures of the world and the visitors. It invites us to celebrate the diversity of human ways of life and to draw inspiration from the resilience and creativity of mountain peoples.

Bruneck Castle provides the perfect stage for this. It is a place that breathes history yet remains open to new perspectives. Thanks to the excellent collaboration between the Sparkasse Foundation, the Bruneck municipality, the Provincial Monuments Office, my father, and the architect Gerhard Mahlknecht, it has been possible to preserve the historical character of the site while creating exhibition spaces that offer visitors a contemporary and barrier-free experience. The castle remains well-preserved and vibrant. For the South Tyrol region, the museum – which supports itself without subsidies and attracts tourists from all over the world – represents a cultural added value.

The MMM Ripa connects the local history of South Tyrol with global themes and turns Bruneck Castle into a place that fascinatingly combines past and present. It is more than a window into the world of mountain peoples – it is a mirror in which we can recognise ourselves and our relationship with nature. 

(Magdalena Maria Messner)