House of Fasnacht Imst

Every four years (the next time in 2028) the famous "Schemenlaufen" takes place at Imst. Together with the performances of Nassereith, Telfs and Thaur it is one of the biggest and most beautiful Carnival events of the Alps. The "Schemenlaufen" usually takes place on Sunday before Fat Thursday - it starts early in the morning and goes on until 6 pm. Whilst the women are responsible for the realization of the costumes, the men represent both the male and the female figures. There perform many original groups of figures, amongst others the bear-gang and the witches.

As known also from other Carnival customs, the "Schemenlaufen" is an old tradition and the main theme is the conflict between winter and spring. The small museum, which is located behind the parish church, has been born in the barn of the "Glaserhaus" (Glazier's House). The old building with its vaults and the "Lüftlmalerei" on the outside, a form of mural art and variation of trompe-l'œil, passed into public ownership in 1993 and has been renovated with attention to detail.

The House of Fasnacht Imst (Haus der Fasnacht Imst) uses modern technology to show impressions of the "Schemenlaufen" from the 1930s until today. In that way the tradition is kept alive and is accessible the whole year over. Main exhibits are also the many new and old masks, and a making-of by a local carver explains the realization of such a traditional wooden mask. The House of Fasnacht Imst earned also the Tyrolean Museum Award!