The annual assembly of the International Mountain Museums Alliance (IMMA) took place in Alp, in the heart of the Catalan Pyrenees on 6 May 2025. The gathering was hosted by the Servei General d'Informació de Muntanya in Sabadell, in collaboration with the Federació d'Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya.
Representatives from IMMA member institutions across Europe and Asia joined the event, including the Musée Alpin in Chamonix and Musée Savoisien in Chambéry (France); Museo Nazionale della Montagna in Turin (Italy); Muzeum Tatrzańskie in Zakopane and Karkonosze Museum in Jelenia Góra (Poland); Servei General d'Informació de Muntanya in Sabadell (Spain); ALPS - Alpine Museum in Bern (Switzerland); International Mountain Museum in Pokhara (Nepal); and Olimpia - Museum of Sports and Mountain Tourism in Brașov (Romania).
During the assembly, EMMOA - Fundación Museo del Montañismo Vasco was officially welcomed as an ordinary member, following its role as a permanent host. The meeting also saw the election of new officers, with Beat Hächler, Director of the Alpine Museum in Bern, appointed as IMMA President. Daniela Berta, Director of the Museo Nazionale della Montagna in Turin, was confirmed for a third term as IMMA Coordinator. The assembly expressed its appreciation to outgoing President Carles Capellas for his dedication and leadership.
In his remarks, President Beat Hächler emphasized the growing importance of mountain regions in today’s global agenda: “The topic of mountains is highly topical. It includes debates on climate change, mass tourism, green energy and water supply in urban areas. Mountain regions are critical to our future: mountain museums are the place to make this evident, and IMMA is the network to do this work increasingly with a view to global collaboration. To achieve this goal and tap into the association's great potential, it will be necessary to refine the strategy and professionalize the organizational form”.
The IMMA was formed in 2015 under the auspices of the Mountain Partnership. It aims to provide a platform for collaboration and exchange between mountain museums internationally. Members of the IMMA meet once per year for the Alliance's general assembly to share their experiences of promoting and preserving mountain culture and to define joint projects.
Source:
International Mountain Museums Alliance
