Merano Women’s Museum

The Women's Museum in Merano - "Frauenmuseum Meran" in German, "Museo delle Donne Merano" in Italian - was brought into being in 1988 by Evelyn Ortner (1944 - 1997), born in Austria. She was a passionate collector and called her museum "The little museum for dress and trumpery". Today, of double size and collection, it is a tourist attraction in the old town of Merano. Also on an international scale, the Women's Museum is recognized and manages the coordination of the Women's Museums network worldwide. The museum mainly aims at raising awareness for the history of women as well as for equal opportunities and current women's issues.

By means of clothes and fashion trends, accessories and items of everyday life, the Women's Museum illustrates the history of women and describes women's lives from almost forgotten eras up to the present day. It makes you experience how the corset forced women into a role, and how the mini skirt revolutionised the ideals of women, how women went skiing with wafting skirts and who used to wear the trousers. The permanent collection is arranged as shopping street with vitrines. In the hall for special exhibitions, there are female-specific exhibitions from home and abroad that for example enlarge upon woman's ideals, roles and women's figures.

There are also different cultural events and a specialist library. In 2011, the museum changed residence from the Arcades of Merano to the former convent of Poor Clares on the Piazza del Grano square. In this only Mediaeval women's monastery of Merano, the two upper floors were adapted to the needs of the museum, with barrier-free access. And how to reach it? It can be found in the Via Mainardo road, right behind the building there's a large parking space (subject to charge). Nearby there's a bus stop, the train station can be reached in a 10-minute walk.