The archeoParc in Val Senales for Children – Interactive Ötzi Museum

The archeoParc in Val Senales is more than a museum — here, children can touch, participate, and truly experience. How did Stone Age people live? How did Ötzi make fire? What did their homes look like? These and many other questions are playfully explored through hands-on stations.

Rainy Weather? No Problem!

The open-air museum is divided into three Courses—you can choose how many to explore depending on the weather, timing, and mood. In addition to freely exploring the entire area, every half hour or hour kids can try hands-on stations themselves (e.g. grinding flour, making bread on a stick, or archery). The entire museum, including the open-air sections, is stroller-friendly.

Course 1 – Indoors & Outdoors (Covered)

The centerpiece is the three-story Museum (visitor centre) with various stations about Ötzi’s discovery and his habitat, featuring authentic reconstructions of his clothes, weapons, and tools. Children can mould Ötzi’s head from plasticine onto a skull, solve puzzles, and explore Alpine wildlife. Throughout the Museum, touching is explicitly allowed!

In the open-air part of Course 1, you’ll find several Stone Age houses to explore. You can also witness the hourly fire-making demonstration to see how fire was made in the Stone Age.

Course 2 – Outdoors (Covered)

Course 2 includes the visitor workshop area and the bread-baking house. In the visitor workshop, you can craft small objects from natural materials to take home—for instance, weaving a bracelet—through short, rotating workshops. You can also grind flour using a grinding stone and bake bread on a stick over the fire.

Course 3 – Outdoors (Uncovered; not possible in rain)

In good weather, after a short introduction, you can go on a “hunt” with a wooden longbow at 3D animals and targets. For younger children, smaller bows are provided—our own three-year-old managed quite well with some help. This Course also includes a ride in a dugout canoe, accompanied by a staff member.

Moreover, in Courses 2 and 3 you can see:

• a clay dome oven
• a fish pond
• a clay pit
• a pit for firing pottery
• a fish-smoking oven

Duration of Visit

For the indoor area (Course 1), plan about one hour, depending on the age and interests of the children. In the outdoor areas (Courses 2 and 3), you can easily spend 3–4 hours, and on a good weather day, even a full day.

Food & Drink

There are several spots where you can enjoy a self-brought picnic. Inside, there is also a cafeteria serving snacks and cake from midday onward.

Opening Times

The archeoParc is generally open daily from Easter to All Saints’ Day. For larger groups, the archeoParc opens beyond these dates—even in winter. For more useful notes and frequently asked questions, see the website.

Tip for families: Tuesday afternoon is Family Day at the archeoParc! On this afternoon there are extra activities and programs for children.