The permanent exhibition of the museum sheds light on the 40 years the writer spent in Montagnola. Personal objects such as photos, books and watercolour paintings give the visitor the opportunity not only to get to know the writer but also the person behind the genius. Moreover the exhibition focuses on different themes, such as the time Hesse spent in India or the time he was writing one of his most famous books, the Glass Bead Game (1943). This gives the visitor the chance to understand the creative processes behind the writer’s works. Click here if you want to know more about the author’s whole life.
Furthermore the museum offers a 2,5 hour walk with an audio guide called “On the footsteps of Hermann Hesse”. It starts from the museum and covers eleven points between Montagnola and Getilino which follow the different stages of Hesse’s life in Ticino. After leaving the museum, one can enjoy the Casa Camuzzi(Hesse’s first house in Ticino). The journey continues with crossing the centre of Certenago, that appears in his watercolours, before reaching the Sant’Abbondio complex in Gentilino, where Hesse was burried next to his last wife Ninon. Walking through the woods, one will come across grottos where one can rest, just like the author used to. Here it’s easy to imagine meeting Hermann Hesse with easel and brushes, busy painting the most beautiful spots of the region.
Other activities offered by the museum are temporary exhibitions, lectures, concerts, films, walking-tours, and weekly readings in two languages. This is what makes the museum a lively meeting point for visitors from all over the world.
You will also find many things to discover around the museum! Use this map to help explore the neighbourhood!
Museum Hermann Hesse 