Art exhibitions in South Tyrol

On Monday, December 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tramin’s oldest quarter, Bethlehem, will transform into a magical Christmas market. Between narrow alleys, historic farmhouses, and private courtyards, visitors can enjoy a unique Advent experience full of tradition, flavors, and creativity. A special atmosphere & open courtyards On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, local courtyard owners in Tramin open their gates, offering exclusive glimpses into spaces usually closed to the public. Together with the exhibitors, they invite guests on a special stroll through the historic heart of the village.

Brick4Ever is an event dedicated to the world of LEGO, showcasing extraordinary creations made with the iconic bricks. In addition, there will be an interactive play area where children and adults can unleash their creativity and build together.

The association "Leiferer Krippenfreunde" (Friends of Nativity Scenes) is once again organising the exhibition of handcrafted nativity scenes in the exhibition hall in via Pietralba 29. The exhibition is open from 10 am to 12 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm. The opening and blessing of the exhibits will take place on Sunday, 7.12. at 10 am after the festive service.

The moment when thoughts take shape is something special for me.

Art exhibition with works by Verena Höllrigl Ebenkofler: Inspiration takes shape, an initiative of the Lana Women's Group, Franziskussaal of the Capuchin Monastery in Lana

Saturday to Monday, 6 December to 8 December 2025, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Opening ceremony on Saturday, 6 December at 11 a.m

Art exhibition with works by Verena Höllrigl Ebenkofler: Inspiration takes shape, an initiative of the Lana Women's Group, Franziskussaal of the Capuchin Monastery in Lana

Saturday to Monday, 6 December to 8 December 2025, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Opening ceremony on Saturday, 6 December at 11 a.m

Experience art that brings Italy’s most beautiful villages to life!

As part of the “Borgo Natalizio di Chiusa”, the renowned Galleria d’Arte Kusstatscher in the historic old town of Chiusa opens its doors for an exceptional exhibition.
Artists Sabine Brugger and Hannes Tribus present an exclusive selection of their latest works – a vibrant artistic tribute to the fascinating Borghi più belli d’Italia.

With expressive watercolours by Sabine Brugger and atmospheric oil paintings by Hannes Tribus, the two artists invite visitors on a journey through some of Italy’s most enchanting historic villages. Their works capture the architecture, landscapes, and unique atmosphere of these remarkable places in both poetic and powerful ways.

The exhibition celebrates the beauty of these exceptional locations and supports the mission of the Associazione “I Borghi più belli d’Italia”, which has been preserving and promoting the cultural treasures of small Italian towns for many years.

Exhibition period
- 29 November – 21 December 2025
- Saturday & Sunday: 10:00–12:00 and 15:00–18:00
- Monday, 8 December: 10:00–12:00 and 15:00–18:00
- Free admission

A cultural highlight set against the charming backdrop of Chiusa’s historic old town – perfect for art lovers, Italy enthusiasts, and anyone seeking inspiration during the festive season.

An exhibition about pioneering women in mountain photography
The work of Annie Smith Peck is currently on display.

Profanter Immobilien invites you to an exhibition at ArtSpace in Seis, Schlernstraße 16: Anuschka Prossliner & Markus Gasser „TRAUMFÄNGER | ACCHIAPPASOGNI“ (Dreamcatcher) 06.2025-01.2026 "The present is merely a transit space, a void between inklings and memories—those are the true places of our experience. In these floating realms, Anuschka Prossliner weaves a delicate net of childhood fragments, fantasies, illusions, and expectations. Dreamscapes with a magical hue, where the fragile remnants of happiness and longing dangle by a silk thread—yet remain accessible to dreamwalkers. In contrast, Markus Gasser’s dream world is more grounded and earthy. He turns his gaze to matter itself, to stone, and searches for ideas, thought fragments, heads and faces, which he draws to the surface through obsessive shaping—forming them into peoples." Anuschka Prossliner (1972) consistently reveals a fondness for the fragmentary, the sketch-like, the unfinished. The dot is her constant companion: quiet, reserved, yet precise. With an introspective gaze, she presents fleeting figures, silent beings, fragments of an inner world. Markus Gasser (1970) has long been devoted to the motif of the head – heads in dialogue with each other, deeply rooted in the earth, like flowers in a field. Sculpted forms in stones of all kinds – large and small, rough and smooth – that nevertheless represent only part of the whole. by arrangement +39 0471 707248 | immobilien@agentur-profanter.com

ONLY FOR BOLZANO BOZEN CARD UND BOLZANO BOZEN CARD MOBILITY

Entry at the Mercantilemuseum of Bolzano

Special price of 4,00 € for adults, free of charge for kids between 6 and 14 years of age

Opening hours:
from Monday to Saturday from 10 AM till 12:30 AM
on Thursdays from 10 AM till 1 PM and from 2 PM till 4 PM

Closed on Sundays and Holidays, also on the 27th of December 2025

TICKET SALES ONLY ONLINE

Christmas village Ortisei Ortisei, has been enchanting its visitors during the Christmas season since 2014. It has become a beautiful tradition: Ortisei's pedestrian area transforms into a true fairy-tale landscape adorned with Christmas decorations that captivate visitors of all ages. Along the pedestrian zone, typical wooden huts welcome visitors. In an impressive manner, the Christmas village Ortisei combines the deeply rooted traditions of the Val Gardena with the elegance and exclusivity of the offerings of the hut operators. The festive atmosphere is accompanied by the Christmas tunes of local musicians, spreading joy and serenity in the air. Visitors can stroll through the Christmas village, admire local craftsmanship, discover regional delicacies, and find original gift items among the Christmas huts. The Christmas village is an experience that engages all the senses and offers moments of joy and sharing in an enchanting environment. It is a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the tradition and culture of the mountains and fully experience the spirit of Christmas in a magical atmosphere. Opening Hours Nadel Urtijëi 29 & 30.11.2025 Shops 11:00 – 19:00 / Gastronomy 11:00 – 20:00 01–04.12.2025 closed 05.12.2025 gastronomy only 16:00 – 20:00 From 06.12.2025 - 04.01.2026 Mon–Fri: Shops 16:00 – 19:00 / Gastronomy 16:00 – 20:00* Sat–Sun: Shops 11:00 – 19:00 / Gastronomy 11:00 – 20:00* *From 22.12.2025 to 04.01.2026 gastronomy open daily from 11:00 to 20:00 Special opening hours 08.12.2025: Shops 11:00 – 19:00 / Gastronomy 11:00 – 20:00 24.12.2025: 11:00 – 17:00 25.12.2025: gastronomy only 11:00 – 20:00 26.12.2025: Shops 11:00 – 19:00 / Gastronomy 11:00 – 20:00 31.12.2025: Shops 11:00 – 17:00 / Gastronomy 11:00 – 20:00

Nativity exhibition in the Cloister of the Francisan Monastery

This is the market where nobody will freeze! Your Christmas journey would not be complete without enjoying our traditional home-made dishes, drinks and sweets. There are multiple facilities around and in the cave where you can find our specialties and taste them while enjoying the Christmassy atmosphere. Don’t miss this truly magical experience offering a traditional, historical and fairytale-like atmosphere. The Unterground Christmas experience is freely accessible and without and entrance fee! San Candido is offering a unique Underground Christmas Market located in the Dolomythos Museum. During this time the Museum offers free entrances, which allows every visitor to enjoy and experience a complete new world of attractions. Visitors are engaging in the history of our world heritage area named ‘Dolomites’ while also experiencing the coziness and warmth only found in the mountains. Your journey will experience a complete and worth seeing harmony cooperated with the countless huts offering Christmas gifts, luxuries, local handicraft and culinary.

The shops in Laives/Leifers decorate their shop windows with the self-made and handmade nativity scenes of the association "Leiferer Krippenfreunde". The route of the Nativity Scene Trail and the list of participating shops can be found at www.facebook.com/presepelaives

In Val Gardena, the valley renowned for its long-standing woodcarving tradition, the Nativity scene is one of the most cherished and lovingly maintained Christmas customs. On Christmas Eve, the Baby Jesus is placed in the simple manger, while the Three Wise Men traditionally arrive only on January 6th. At the Cultural centre “Luis Trenker” in Ortisei, an exhibition featuring over 40 hand-carved Nativity scenes from Val Gardena showcases the remarkable variety and craftsmanship of local woodcarvers. Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

The Villandro Nativity Scene Friends are creating a Nativity Scene Route in the village from the village to the parish church for the entire Advent period until the Three Wise Men. Showcases have been made in which various nativity scenes are exhibited.

The photography exhibition Every Child is LIFE celebrates the miracle of birth and the universal strength of life. Dutch photographer Ilvy Njiokiktjien captured newborns in Peru, Mali, Mongolia and Bangladesh between 2018 and 2019, portraying with great sensitivity the most fragile yet powerful moment of existence. A year later, Armenian photographer Anush Babajanyan returned to photograph the same children, creating a second chapter that tells a story of growth, resilience and the vital importance of continuous access to healthcare. The visit to the photo exhibition is included in the entrance ticket of the Hofburg.

Discover the nativity scenes in Salorno
From 4 p.m., when night falls, thelights will bring our village to life and we can visit the illuminated nativity scenes.

Oops – The Light and Music Show That Enchants
When a little dreamer loses their balloon, a magical journey begins—through light, music, and boundless imagination.
Oops is an immersive spectacle that transforms the façade of the Hofburg Brixen into a living canvas, brought to life by 10 powerful projectors. Accompanied by an original soundtrack from electronic music legend Giorgio Moroder, this visual journey invites audiences into fantastical worlds full of wonder and delight.
A show that amazes all ages—and supports a good cause: for every ticket sold, a donation of €1 goes to UNICEF.
Follow your balloon. And prepare to be enchanted.

During the Advent season, handmade nativity scenes built inside apple crates are displayed in various locations throughout Vadena. They were created by local associations in collaboration with the Department of Culture of the Municipality of Vadena.

Nativity scene in Vadena Nuova, created by VKE Vadena

Nativity scene in front of the municipal building entrance at Vadena Centro 111, created by the kindergarten

Nativity scene in Via Masetta 7, created by the association Fátena

Nativity scene at the cemetery, created by Associazione Anziani Vadena

Nativity scene in Via Caneve, created by Giulia Bucci

Nativity scene in Birti, created by Lettera7

The nativity scene trail can be admired from 1 December to 6 January.

The “Tina Modotti” Photographic Circle exhibition explores South Tyrol’s contemporary identity through photography as a tool for critical inquiry and visual storytelling.

In a region of constant change—between center and periphery, tourism and daily life, tradition and transformation—photography becomes a language for analyzing social, symbolic, and identity perspectives.

The exhibition follows a Gestalt-inspired approach: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Individual projects form a collective mosaic, maintaining their autonomy while engaging in dialogue.

The exhibition maps South Tyrol along three trajectories: city, tourism, and tradition.

“City between Center and Periphery”: urban spaces as living organisms, balancing history, social change, and architecture.

“Tourism: Between Overtourism and Sustainability”: critical exploration of tourism’s impact on landscapes, consumption, and sustainable development.

“Traditions, Folk Festivals, and Rituals”: an empathetic, anthropological view of collective rituals sustaining identity and cultural memory.

Together, the three trajectories form a layered visual narrative of South Tyrol, highlighting photography as a language capable of expressing complexity and contemporary reality.

On the occasion of the Euregio Museum Year 2025, dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the Tyrolean Peasants’ Revolt of 1525 – a historic turning point that continues to raise essential questions about power structures, social justice, political participation, and the potential for societal change – the Hofburg Bressanone presents a two-part exhibition project that sets history and the present in a dialogical relationship. The two exhibitions, 1525-2025. Irruption-Subversion-Renewal (29 March – 31 August 2025) and ETÀ, ÉTATS (12 September 2025 – 11 January 2026), explore the theme of societal transformation from different perspectives. They share a central conceptual motif: rupture as a starting point for movement, encounter, and new forms of social thinking. ETÀ, ÉTATS links the father-son relationship between Robert and Johannes Bosisio to the socially relevant question of intergenerational dialogue. In the spatial and conceptual design, the two artists meet in the center of the exhibition area, while their independent positions are situated at opposite ends of the sequence of rooms. At this central point of encounter, the focus is less on comparison and more on exchange: a dialogical coexistence aimed at connecting different experiences, ways of thinking, and perspectives.

Zeitraum, the fifth exhibition in the Mamming Now series, curated by artists Valeria Ferrari and Johannes Inderst, is dedicated to the evocative power of the objects collected in the Palais Mamming depot. The focus is on collective memory and the emotional ties that everyday, often forgotten objects form with our subconscious. The artists regard the ‘understanding, naming and reordering’ of these artefacts as an act of resistance against forgetting. In this way, the objects take on a new meaning that goes far beyond their original function: they are transformed into veritable ‘fetishes of memory’ and create a space for dreams.

In his series motusBerg, Heinz Innerhofer shows spotlights of South Tyrolean landscapes, mountains, and people. The photographs, both in black-and-white and color, resemble blurred sketches that talk about our landscape, which never seems to stand still.

-- Storia y cultura --

A (Guided) Journey Through Time.
Strolling through Ortisei is like traveling through time. Historic villas from the turn of the century, once home to artists and entrepreneurs, take us back to an era when woodcarving brought prosperity to Val Gardena. Publishing houses and workshops offer a glimpse into the former wooden toy industry – and historic inns and hotels trace the valley’s transformation from a dream destination for alpinists to a popular year-round tourist hotspot.
You can embark on this journey through time in Ortisei with the help of a knowledgeable guide. The tour, offered in English, German or Italian depending on the participants, lasts 1.5 hours and is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.
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Meeting point: Museum Gherdëina
Price: 10€ VGA | 20€ DVG | 26€
Duration: 1,5 - 2 hours
Number of participants: min. 2
Distance: 2,5 km
Difficulty level: ●○○○○
Altitude difference in ascent: 100 m
Altitude difference in descent: 100 m
Use of the lift: no
Period: June - September and December - March
Dogs allowed: no
Stroller: yes
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VGA= guest of a Val Gardena Active partner accommodation
DVG= guest of a Dolomites Val Gardena partner accommodation

IMPORTANT: The tour is conducted in German and Italian. An English tour is available upon request.

*Public transport (busses, cableway, etc…) and lunch are not included and must be paid separately.

Any variation is reserved to the hiking guide!

Dolomythos-Museum at Innichen presents: Women scientists Many women, hardly mentioned in earlier times, made important contributions. We honour these often forgotten personalities, as well as the reserches of ordinary people from the valleys.

The exhibition “Kaufmannsgesichter” is based on an excerpt from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s diary about his journey to Italy. The poet arrived in Bolzano in September 1786, at a time when one of the four major international fairs was taking place. The lively bustle of the city and the faces of the merchants—radiating prosperity and self-confidence—made a strong impression on him.

The exhibition presents the portraits of merchants who, at the turn of the 18th to the 19th century, played a decisive role in Bolzano’s development into a wealthy trading city and who were personally involved in the activities of the Mercantile Magistrate. The works, on loan from public institutions and private collectors, depict men in authoritative poses, holding correspondence, account books, or professional objects. They are often accompanied by portraits of their wives, who belonged to the new merchant aristocracy and who, through their dowries, wealth, and prestigious residences, significantly contributed to the rise of their family businesses. Several objects connected to acts of patronage, donated by the merchants on special occasions, are also presented.

Most of these portraits—created by notable artists of the period such as Carl Henrici, Martin Knoller, Giuseppe Tominz, and Friedrich Wasmann—originally hung in the private homes of the commissioners or in their business premises and offices. They are unique original works that bear witness to the golden age of Bolzano as a trading city and to the development of its local society.

Curator: Helmut Rizzolli
Exhibition management and coordination: Elisabetta Carnielli
Exhibition design and graphics: Roberto Festi

ARTIFICES: THE CREATORS OF ART The exhibition “Artifices: The Creators of Art” is the third chapter of the long-term project “Stories of Art with the Great Museums”, promoted by the Department of Italian Culture of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano–South Tyrol in collaboration with major Italian museums. Created with the National Roman Museum, the exhibition explores the evolution of Roman artistic production from the Republican period to the late Empire. Through sculptures, inscriptions, and everyday artefacts, it reveals the world of artisans and workshops that shaped Rome’s material and cultural identity. Highlights include a group of fine sculptures from a late Republican villa, displayed in a setting that evokes an elegant Roman residence, and a replica of the Discobolus (Lancellotti type) from the Omero Tactile Museum in Ancona, in dialogue with the celebrated original at Palazzo Massimo.

The photography of Chiara Bettazzi exists in a realm of proximity to the languages of sculpture and installation, sharing with them a vocabulary of everyday objects that shape her subjects. Initially conceived as a tool for observing and controlling the installation process, it later gained its own autonomy, engaging primarily with the register of still life. Her works are object-based compositions, first constructed on a horizontal plane – as vanitas or surrealist-inspired assemblages – and later overflowing beyond the table, finding other supports in found materials from the studio – ladders, screens, temporary structures – that trace precarious trajectories around which the cluster of objects takes on new sculptural forms. The photographic act captures ephemeral encounters between objects in a state of transience, destined to return to the anonymity of everyday life. It is a performative dimension of photography, especially when the artist reveals the gestures of arranging the objects, their accidental falls and displacements – standing on the threshold between composition and decomposition, scene and backstage, where the image continually reactivates the process, restoring to the object the possibility of a new, ever-changing form. Retroscena brings together a series of recent photographs featuring the recurring element of the ladder – an emblem of the scene’s construction – alongside a new installation that gives the exhibition its title. This site-specific work was created using backstage materials from Foto Forum’s storage, remnants of previous exhibitions. The installation unfolds longitudinally, cutting the space in half with an architectural surface made of openings and layers, becoming material traces of a sedimented time. Within this context, the artist invites the audience to move through the space and become part of the scene – observers and actors in a mirroring, dual environment, where front and back tend to coincide. In the folds of fabric and the fragments of objects, memory resurfaces as a visual archive, open to ongoing processes of excavation and refiguration. Chiara Bettazzi was born in Prato in 1977, where she lives and works. Her research explores a dual on the other, a poetics of the everyday object, oscillating between accumulation and discard. In 2015 she created an observatory on the recovery of industrial archaeology in the territory that takes the name Tuscan Art Industry, in collaboration with architectural historians, environmental biologists, artists, curators, and other professionals. Her photographs and installations reflect on transformation, developing in close relation to the industrial and urban landscape. Often site-specific, her works establish a strong dialogue with space and natural light. Her works are held in public and private collections including: La Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (Rome), Casa Masaccio Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea, Collezione Farnesina, Museo di Santa Maria della Scala, Castello di Ama, and Villa Rospigliosi. Selected exhibitions include: BIENALSUR, Museo di Roma a Palazzo Braschi (2025); Panneggi, Lottozero, Prato (2025); Colorescenze, Centro Pecci, Prato (2024); Recap, Z2o Project, Rome (2024); The Tilt of Time, IED, Florence (2023); Reverse, Tenuta Dello Scompiglio, Lucca (2023); Standby. Installation View, Museo Galileo & Murate Art District, Florence (2023); Soggiorno, Villa Rospigliosi, Prato (2023); Rampa di Lancio, Peccioli (2021); Surplace, Galleria Nazionale, Rome (2022); A tutti gli effetti, Villa Romana, Florence (2020); Cabinet, Castello di Ama, Siena (2019); Il Mondoinfine: vivere tra le rovine, Galleria Nazionale, Rome (2018).

Curated by Frida Carazzato
In collaboration with the Fondazione Bonotto and Patrizio Peterlini’s curatorial advice
Exhibition and graphic design: SS16 Studio and AndreaTabocchiniArchitecture

Museion Passage and Piccolo Museion - Cubo Garutti

Museion continues to research and explore its own collection by presenting You and the Night and the Music – Francesco Conz Editions from the Museion Collection, an exhibition dedicated to art editions, especially those of Francesco Conz, one of the key figures in the promotion and artistic production of international neo-avant-gardes in Italy.

Curated by Frida Carazzato with the collaboration of the Fondazione Bonotto, through the curatorial advice of Patrizio Peterlini, the exhibition uses the museum collection to explore the cultural legacy and artistic vision of Francesco Conz. This important figure, who worked with Fluxus, Visual Poetry and Concrete Poetry artists, played a decisive role in disseminating these artistic practices in Italy and abroad.

The title of the exhibition is taken from a work by Gerhard Rühm, a visual artist, musician, poet and co-founder of the Wiener Gruppe, and one of the first artists with whom Francesco Conz began producing large-format editions.

The “You and the Night and the Music” title stimulates reflections on the relationship between art, time and the links between artists, collectors and museum institutions. The conjunction “and” in the artwork becomes, in the title of the exhibition, a metaphor for both the network of cultural connections that has given rise to one of the main hubs in the Museion collection and the figure of Conz, whose passion bound together artistic and human experiences.

A number of collectors and art critics, in fact, have played a fundamental role in the history of the museum collection. People like Paolo Della Grazia, who donated his collection to the museum in 2020, Luigi Bonotto, Henry Martin and many others, have helped to create an artistic heritage that is now an essential reference point for the study of neo-avant-gardes. Thanks to their activities, Museion has been able to enrich its collection with a body of works that bears witness to the value of publishing and screenprint production as a means of disseminating contemporary art.

The exhibition is located in the central area of Museion Passage, a space designed to host dynamic installations that are open to the public. These works interact through videos, artists’ multiples and other editions to create an experience that reflects on the art of publishing both as an artistic tool and as an effective space of cross-genre exchange, in harmony with the Fluxus spirit.

Collective exhibition artists of S.Erardo Art Group Bressanone With Pascale Alessi, Elisabeth Amort, José Ramón Gorret, Lisa Hilpold, Margit Pittschieler, Simon Rauter, Peter Wiechenthaler, Verena Winkler, Jürgen Winkler Concerts by the Brixen Music School 12th+ 19th 5:00 pm Children's reading with Viktoria Obermarzoner 2nd, 9th, 16th, 30th december 2024 4:30 pm

With the exhibition “Movement – Between Line and Light,” the Haus Wassermann Museum Niederdorf is dedicating an impressive show to South Tyrolean artist Toni Walder, exploring the tension between watercolor painting and drawing.
Walder understands watercolor as an art of light – and at the same time of risk. In his works, water becomes both partner and adversary, color an expression of inner movement. His landscapes, animal depictions, and atmospheric scenes reveal a deep connection to nature—not as a mere motif, but as a living space of energy, change, and breath.
Walder's watercolors follow in the tradition of great masters such as William Turner and Emil Nolde, but at the same time bear their own quiet signature: the struggle for the fleeting, the visualization of the invisible. In works such as Monte Cristal, an “atmospheric zipper” emerges between heaven and earth, in which light, fog, and stone merge into one another.
In addition to watercolor paintings, the exhibition also features graphite and charcoal drawings—studies of nudes, portraits, and body landscapes. These works refer to Walder's intensive study of drawing, influenced by courses and master classes with Prof. Walter Strobl, Prof. Piotr Sonnwend, Prof. Irsara, and Rafael Zielinski, among others. Here, the line reveals itself as the origin of all pictorial activity—as an elementary movement between control and letting go, as a visible trace of thought and feeling.