The Ecomuseum of the Valmalenco was created as an extension to the Ecomuseum of the Bagnada Mine in Lanzada, recognised by the Regional Government of Lombardy on 16 November 2011 (D.R.L. No. IX/2507), following the membership of all five municipalities of the Valmalenco: Lanzada, Chiesa Valmalenco, Caspoggio, Torre di S. Maria and Spriana.

The Valmalenco, a valley dedicated to mountaineering and tourism, is already well-known not only for its natural beauty, glaciers and its breathtaking peaks, but also for its incomparable mineral heritage.

As an institution for the protection and valorisation of the cultural and landscape heritage of the entire territory, the Ecomuseum represents an innovative instrument to enrich and present the historic memory of the traditions and knowledge of the territory. It sets a context of cultural, social and civil promotion to recover and give added value to local assets. It aims to stimulate a better quality of life in the rural areas and support sustainable development for the local area.

The natural wealth and landscapes, the historic and cultural heritage, the consolidated economic and tourist importance of the Valmalenco all constitute the work plan the Ecomuseum intends to follow. It wishes to discover, reveal and encourage a historic memory not only of the traditions, the tangible culture and the skills handed down, but also of the way in which the traditional settlement has formed and evolved to shape and develop the landscape.

By creating a centre of documentation, conservation and valorisation of the historic memory of the Valmalenco, the Ecomuseum considers the resident population to be the first to be placed in charge of the protection, renewal and communication of the identity and values of the territory.

The Ecomuseum works by promoting research, educational projects, initiatives to document and catalogue tangible culture, the environment and the history of the area. It also creates and coordinates museums and itineraries, and oversees any cultural and landscape problems. The entire activity of the Ecomuseum is based on a system of sharing choices and of participation in identifying the projects, by involving all the parties involved at various levels.