The first museum in Switzerland dedicated to the history of tourism in a particular region was opened in 1980 in Interlaken, on Obere Gasse, near the Stadhausplatz. The exhibition occupies three floors and tells the story of the organisation and development of the tourism industry in and around the city.
The building housing the museum is the former home of the parish priest. It was built in 1630 and was owned by the local clergy for many years. In those days, it was customary to stay overnight in a parson's house when travelling. Such miniature inns were considered safe and comfortable. In 1979, the building was renovated and converted for museum use.
The exhibition of the Museum of Tourism of the Jungfrau region tells the story of 500 years of Alpine tourism in Switzerland. On the ground floor is a collection of transport that was used to get to Interlaken from 1800 to 1950. On the first floor is a collection that tells visitors about the opening of the Alps to a wide range of travellers. Several halls contain exhibits dedicated to the history of river and railway transport. For example, here you can see a model of the first steamship called "Bellevue", which travelled on Lake Tunersee. A miniature replica of an old locomotive is installed next to it.
The section on the development of winter sports is also interesting. It is worth seeing a collection of skis with various bindings, various sports equipment and clothing. The first bean from Grindelwald, called "Tartarin", is also kept here. Visitors to the museum are sure to enjoy the mountaineering section, where photographs and archive documents about extreme mountain climbs are collected.
