Sixth and final Messner Mountain Museum to open in 2024 in South Tyrol

The sixth and final museum of the MMM – Messner Mountain Museum circuit, named MMM Roca ("Roca" meaning "rock" in Spanish and Ladin), will open in autumn 2024 on Monte Elmo in Sesto Pusteria, South Tyrol, within the 3 Cime/3 Zinnen Dolomites ski area. Designed by architect Ulla Hell of Plasma Studio, the museum is housed in the existing Monte Elmo cable car mountain station at 2,050 meters altitude, avoiding new construction. The project emphasizes upcycling and recycling, preserving the original technical structure while adding a panoramic glass facade and a public landscape roof. The museum will focus on the history of climbing, from early sandstone formations in the Elbe Valley to modern freesolo grand tours, as stated by Reinhold Messner. The collection includes the "Goddess of Protection," a bronze statue from the Himalayas symbolizing protection for extreme rock and ice climbing. The museum is made possible by collaboration with 3 Zinnen Spa. The MMM network already includes MMM Firmian (Castel Firmiano, near Bolzano), MMM Juval (Val Venosta), MMM Ripa (Brunico Castle), MMM Ortles (Solda, Bolzano), and the famous MMM Corones on Plan de Corones (designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, opened July 2015). MMM Corones was the first building in South Tyrol designed using parametric criteria. MMM Roca will complete Messner's interdisciplinary mountain project.