Museum of the Via Spluga and Val San Giacomo: alpine history and traditions

The Museum of the Via Spluga and Val San Giacomo is housed in a historic 16th-century building in the hamlet of Corti, Campodolcino. Its walls tell the story of the valley and the essential role played by the Via Spluga as a vital connection between the Mediterranean world and the lands north of the Alps. More than a road, it represented centuries of exchange, encounters and transformation.

The museum features sections dedicated to traditional trades, winter tourism, rural dwellings, women’s work, traditional games and the trade activities that once animated the Via Spluga. Each room offers a glimpse into everyday life, preserving the memory of simple yet essential gestures.

The exhibition route passes through historic spruce-wood stüe, authentic examples of Alpine craftsmanship, including a remarkable room dating back to 1576. Here, the scent of wood still evokes domestic life and centuries of history.
Within the building, at the end of the 19th century, Saint Luigi Guanella founded the Opera Pia S. Antonio, a vocational school that offered local young women the opportunity to learn sewing, embroidery—including the refined Cantù lace tradition—as well as wood and straw craftsmanship. It was a project rooted in hope, opportunity and education.

On the upper floor, the scientific section focuses on the natural environment, featuring a laboratory dedicated to water and energy. Visitors can also explore the carefully restored 18th-century Chapel of Saint Anthony, a peaceful space where silence encourages reflection and history becomes contemplation.