In the distant 1882 the Bolzano Museum Association was founded to save from destruction archaeological findings and historical objects - of the so-called "elevated arts", for instance - and preserve it for oncoming generations. In 1905 the palace of the Bolzano Municipal Museum was built according to plans of Alois Delug in the Via Cassa di Risparmio road near the Talvera Bridge, replacing the late medieval Hurlach Residence. And there it still stands today, managed by the Bolzano Museum Association and the Cultural Department of Bolzano (Bozen).

The collection comprises 15,000 objects which tell about the archaeology, the art and the popular culture in Tyrol, but only a part of them is on display: stucco works, fresco paintings, carvings, religious artworks, outstanding works of the goldsmith's art from the Gothic and Baroque periods as well as traditional costumes of the 19th century. The remaining objects were catalogued and have been stored. The freely accessible museum's library, however, comprises 30,000 volumes and 800 journals. The Bolzano Municipal Museum was restored and enlarged in the years between 2003 and 2011, since then the tower - which by the way offers a fantastic view on the town - and part of the collections have been made accessible again. Special exhibitions complete the museum offer.