What association comes to mind when you hear the word "cats"? If it's fluffy meowing creatures, then you're most likely not a mountaineer. A true conqueror of peaks will immediately think of ice crampons - devices that are attached to boots so a person does not slip.
So, at the Alpine Museum you can see what these crampons looked like back in the mid-19th century. There are also antique binoculars, maps, intricate surveying instruments, mountaineering gear, and many other items brought back from various mountain expeditions.
If you look at the ski bindings that were used at the beginning of the 20th century, it is almost unsettling how simple and unsophisticated they are. Next to them, modern skis look like a submarine beside a rowboat. And yet people still strove to conquer the mountains and climb the highest peaks. These are exactly the impressions and reverent feelings evoked by the exhibits of the Alpine Museum.
There are many paintings and photographs depicting mountains here; there are even cameras that were taken along on expeditions. The diaries and personal belongings of mountaineers attract special attention. During a tour of the museum, all you can think about is that this mug was once at an altitude of several thousand meters, and those yellow boots walked along trails we ourselves are unlikely ever to visit...
