Timmelsjoch Pass Museum

The Pass Museum shall cross borders. Therefore its location has been specifically chosen: Built on North Tyrolean ground, the impressive construction extends 16 metres into South Tyrolean areal. When planning it, the architect Werner Tscholl was inspired by the local rock formations. The high alpine road with toll charge proceeds from the Austrian Oetztal valley to the Val Passiria in Italy - already in former times, both valleys were connected together by an ancient smugglers' path. In 2024, this road remained open for the first time in history until November 17 so visitors could reach also for the first time the ski opening in Gurgl in mid-November directly via the pass.

At five stations - Smuggler, Telescope, Garnet, Pass Museum, and Walkway - the "Timmelsjoch Experience" gives information about history, nature, culture, economy and the people in this region. Three stations are located in the Val Passiria, the Walkway at the toll station in Hochgurgl, and the highlight - the Pass Museum - at the pass height. All of them are freely accessible.

In the inside of the museum (Timmelsjoch Passmuseum) - the highest museum of Austria on the highest road state border crossing of Austria - there is an ice cave and a pre-Christian fibula which points to the fact that the mountain pass was already climbed around 300 BC. In 2018, however, on South Tyrolean side the museum structure "Timmel Transit" was inaugurated to celebrate 50 years of the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road. It is completely dedicated to its road building history.