La région de Viège. Photo/Foto: TES

The permanent exhibition of the Valaisan Irrigation Canal Museum (Musée valaisan des bisses/Walliser Suonenmuseum) presents the history and functions of the bisses (Suonen in German).

The region around Visp (Viège), Raron (Raronge), the Lötschberg (Steg-Hohtenn and Niedergestein), and the Baltschiedertal in the canton of Valais is a dry area in the Rhone basin. Its dry and mild climate promotes viticulture, agriculture, and cattle breeding.

Suonen (bisses in French) Irrigated the land. Suonen are wooden or stone irrigation systems that lead water from the source (glaciers, springs and streams) to the agricultural areas.

The complex world of irrigation comes into focus in a dozen thematically arranged sections. History, geography, construction techniques, irrigation techniques and social organisation are covered.

Hundreds of documents and objects, interactive media, films and the full-size reconstruction of an irrigation canal show the irrigation techniques developed and still used in this Alpine region.