In this exhibition organised by the Austrian Association of Nativity Scene Enthusiasts, you can expect to see significant works by masters such as Romed Speckbacher, Johann Nepomuk Giner, Josef Zeissler and the ‘father of Pinzgau nativity scenes’, Xandi Schläffer, featuring items on loan from the Tyrolean Museum of Folk Art in Innsbruck, the Museum of Mining and Gothic Art Leogang, and private collections on the theme of the Oriental nativity scene.

Oriental Nativity Scenes and Nativity Depictions
At the heart of the nativity scene exhibition are oriental nativity scenes and nativity depictions in various sizes and featuring different types of figures.
Pilgrimages to the Holy Land in the 19th century influenced the way in which the birth of Jesus Christ was depicted in nativity scenes. Pilgrims who visited the Holy Land brought home very specific visual impressions of the landscape, architecture and people of the Orient.

Nativity scenes in this tradition depict the birthplace of Jesus with Oriental buildings and desert landscapes. The depiction of animals and plants was modelled on the flora and fauna of the Middle East, and the figures’ clothing was also often inspired by the pilgrims’ travel experiences. However, in many Oriental nativity scenes created in the Alpine region, local elements were also incorporated.

The exhibition is organised by the Association of Austrian Nativity Scene Enthusiasts with the support of the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum, in cooperation with the Museum of Mining and Gothic Art Leogang.

Opening hours
21 November 2026 to 31 January 2027
Wednesday to Sunday, daily from 1 pm to 5 pm.
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Closed on 1 January.