Museum
The Hermann Hesse Museum was established in the rooms of the Torre Camuzzi, in Montagnola, Switzerland in 1997. This ancient tower is part of the picturesque Casa Camuzzi where Hermann Hesse lived between 1919 and 1931. From his apartment, he had a marvellous view overlooking the lake of Lugano.
Permanent exhibition
A permanent exhibition brings back to life Hesse's 40 years in Montagnola. The many personal belongings, photos, books and watercolour paintings show not only the writer, but also Hesse as a private person.
The focus on certain themes, such as India or the writing of The Glass Bead Game, provide the opportunity to follow the writer's creative process. The Hermann Hesse Museum in Montagnola offers a variety of activities. Temporary exhibitions, lectures, concerts, films, walking-tours, and weekly readings in two languages make the Museum a lively meeting point for visitors from all over the world.
Torre Camuzzi
Hermann Hesse lived in Montagnola in an apartment belonging to Casa Camuzzi (1919–1931) and later in the Casa Rossa (1931–1962). Today both these houses are private property.
In 1997 the opportunity to rent Torre Camuzzi, formerly part of the mansion Casa Camuzzi, made possible the foundation of the first Swiss Museum dedicated to Hermann Hesse. The late medieval tower was modified at the end of the 19th century by the Camuzzi family. The tower was given a neo-gothic style and a loggia with different floors was added in order to integrate it to the near Casa Camuzzi.
The architect Nicola Losinger, in 1995/1996, restored Torre Camuzzi into an apartment. He gave back the tower its late 19th century look and was able to integrate it back to the whole historical building of Casa Camuzzi.
