Museums

ecomUSEum of valsesia

The economy, history, art and daily life of a valley and its people: ingenious and daring small bridges, typical dwellings, such as Walser houses and taragn, old mills, sawmills, forges and traditional processing techniques immersed in the unspoilt environment in which they were born and developed for centuries.

This and much more can be discovered in the two sections of the Valsesia Ecomuseum, precisely the Ecomuseum of Walser Territory and Culture, which includes the municipalities of the High Valley, and the Ecomuseum of Lower Valsesia.

Walser museum – Alagna vALSESIA

Bearing witness to the culture of the Walser people who settled in Valsesia in the Middle Ages, and housed in a three-storey house dating back to 1628, the Walser Museum is an ethnographic museum where you can learn about the life of this population of German origin.

The museum provides insight into the building system of the Walser house in Alagna, but above all represents a true historical memory and a tool for reconstructing the sociological and anthropological aspects of the Walser culture.

It houses furniture, objects, tools and work implements, clothing, furnishings, period artefacts and items needed for everyday life.

Walser ethnographic museum of Riva Valdobbia

Established in a characteristic hut, it displays tools, furnishings, costumes and parchments (15th-16th centuries) original to local families.

Collection of Sacred Art – cAMPERTOGNO

The Collection contains paintings, wooden statues, furnishings and religious vestments that bear witness to 600 years of art and history. The pyramid altar from 1660 and the wooden model of the parish church attributed to Guarini deserve a visit.

‘PIETRO DELLA VEDOVA’ PLASTER LIBRARY – Rima

Around 200 powerfully expressive works are housed in a simple Valsesian building surrounded by vegetation. These are casts, sketches and models of works by Pietro Della Vedova, Professor of sculpture at the Accademia Albertina in Turin.

Artificial marble laboratory museum of Rima

Situated in a historic building in Rima, it presents a small exhibition on the history of the artists and the artificial marble workshop-laboratory, linked to new production activities and teaching courses. For some years now, training courses have been held in Rima to hand down knowledge of the technique, with the aim of training new artists capable of relaunching all related activities in the future.

Carcoforo natural history museum

In an old Walser house, discover the secrets of nature in the multi-purpose room hosting lectures and educational activities, multimedia stations and an exhibition room with descriptive panels, and a multimedia nature game for children.

Walser ethnographic museum of Rimella

Ethnographic museum, ethnolinguistic archive, documentation centre and Walser study centre in Rimella. These are the opportunities offered by the museum that exalts the culture, traditions and crafts of the Walser people.r.

“G.B. Filippa” anthropological museum – Rimella

Commissioned by Giovan Battista Filippa to reveal the scientific and cultural aspects of the world to his fellow villagers, it has been enriched over the last two centuries by donations from the inhabitants themselves and from migrants. Minerals, shells and stuffed animals, books, coins and tools.

“Vincenzo Lancia” permanent exhibition” – Fobello

Documents, photographs, newspapers and objects tracing the life of Vincenzo Lancia and the car manufacturing firm Lancia. The museum tour is divided into four rooms bearing the names of famous Lancias, precisely Augusta, Artena, Astura and Aprilia. The exhibition is located on the second floor of the G. Lancia building, commissioned by Vincenzo himself as a school building.

Puncetto permanent exhibition – Fobello

A period house, lace, clothes, objects related to the costume of Fobello, all based on puncetto, the most typical Valsesian handicraft. This age-old lace is made with needle and thread, joining thousands of small knots together and creating, with the succession of solids and voids, the precious embroideries.

Carestia Tirozzo museum – Fobello

One of the largest collections of the work of Abbot Carestia, a Valsesian botanist: 1,000 sheets on phanerogams and partly cryptogams, pressed and dried, collected in Valsesia between 1854 and 1900. Delivered by the abbot himself to Dr. Tirozzo and preserved by his son, Prof. Pier Ugo, are now part of the museum, which has been donated to the CAI (Italian alpine club).

Varallo art gallery

Founded in 1886, it displays works covering a timeline from the 15th to the 19th centuries. In particular, ample space is dedicated to the important testimonies of the artistic calling that has characterised Valsesia over the centuries from Sacro Monte.

The current exhibition includes a large nucleus of sculptures from Sacro Monte itself and from churches in the valley, paintings by Gaudenzio Ferrari and his pupils including Bernardino Lanino. An entire section is dedicated to the works of Tanzio da Varallo and 17th century painting. One wing of the itinerary houses 18th century masterpieces, most of them from Palazzo d’Adda. you will find the important and remarkable collection of majolica dedicated to Francesco Franchi. The recently acquired Remogna collection includes paintings by Camillo Procaccini and Giambettino Cignaroli.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM “p. cALDERINI” – VARALLO

Founded in 1867, its main purpose was to support the teaching of science. It includes geological, invertebrate and vertebrate zoology collections, and a botanical section consisting of the Carestia Herbarium. The archaeological section, with exhibits from ancient Egypt and Etruscan-Roman excavations, deserves a visit. The museum is now on the second floor of the Museum Building, with a focus on both the original 19th century layout and on the new generations, for whom there is a dedicated tour.

“Cesare Scaglia” home museum – vARALLO

The three rooms contain a collection that provides an image of the artist and his period. A fascinating leap back in time, among paintings, furniture, books and jewellery. The ground floor houses 16th century frescoes.

Museum of ancient clockmaking – Varallo

Located in a historic building against the rock supporting the Collegiate Church of St. Gaudentius, this museum displays the ancient art of clockmaking, from sundials to early wristwatches. The exhibition leads the visitor through the centuries and the secrets of a timeless art.

Fishing museum – vARALLO

Images, vintage fishing equipment of the various techniques practised in the valley, a space dedicated to the twinning between the Valsesia and Tenkara areas, documents from the early 20th century and a precious documentary hand down the historical memory of fishing in Valsesia.

Railway museum of Valsesia – Varallo

The museum is located in the historic Varallo railway station, and displays materials and memorabilia that have marked the history of the Novara – Varallo line, which was inaugurated on 11 April 1886. You can also visit part of the operations centre and interior of the old station, accompanied by Museum staff.

ENERGY MUSEUM – Varallo

Unique and original, it displays some of the steam machines used in the cotton processing chain. Three large areas: the central hall with the steam engines, the area of machines added in the 1930s, and the area of modern machines.

“Ercole Durio da Roc” CIVIC MUSEUM – Civiasco

It is packed with local history, but there is also the whole world in the museum founded by Ercole Durio. Indeed, besides the baptismal font of 1681 and the clock in the parish bell tower are relics from Spain, Morocco, Benadir and Somalia. Coins, weapons, books and paintings brought by the founder and other travellers from Civiasco.

“Carlo Conti” museum of archaeology and palaeontology” – bORGOSESIA

The permanent collection showcases a great variety of evidence from excavations conducted on Mount Fenera and in the municipality of Borgosesia: fossil remains of Pleistocene fauna, bone fragments attributed to Neanderthal man, pre-protohistoric finds and material evidence from the Preroman and Roman periods, denote how complex and rich the history of this territory is. The exhibition closes with exhibits from Vanzone Castle, dating from the late Middle Ages to the 19th century. The museum houses two permanent exhibitions: one presents the research activities at the Ciota Ciara Cave, the other is dedicated to the fossil Super Volcano of Valsesia.

Museo di Storia d’Arte e Antichità “Don Florindo Piolo”

The Museum has local artefacts from the Roman era, a bequest from the historian Don Florindo Piolo (late 19th – early 20th century), an ethnographic collection, a collection of ex-votos and a picture gallery.

house of crafts – guardabosone

The old craftsmen’s workshops with traditional tools come to life in a typical wooden loggia building. The upper floors showcase an extensive entomological collection, which ranks among the five largest in the world. The route links up with the Natural History Museum of Cav. Locca.

Museum of Natural science – Guardabosone

Fifty years of curiosity and passion for science have led the Knight of Labour Carlo Locca to create a museum with Stone Age artefacts and hundreds of stuffed animals. The route includes an old wine cellar and a core of medieval and late 19th century buildings.

Museum of Ancient Crafts – guardabosone

A journey in search of ancient traditions and forgotten flavours of the rural world. Of particular importance are the tools used in ancient times for spinning and weaving hemp and for the production of walnut oil

“Il territorio e le sue fucine” permanent exhibition – pOSTUA

A conspicuous and unique exhibition of cutting tools (sickles, billhooks, cleavers, etc.), an expression of valid research into the presence of old forges, as well as a true piece of history at the turn of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.

The Museum of sacred art – postua

The exhibition focuses on the enhancement of sacred furnishings and objects, collecting evidence of local popular religiosity. Items of particular interest include the wooden statue of the Madonna and Child, which dates back to the Middle Ages; a cross from the 13th century; and four reliquary busts from the 1700s.

Ecomuseum of Gattinara

The rooms of the Ecomuseum re-propose three moments of rural life: childhood and school, the kitchen, the hub of family life, and the room dedicated to tools and working life. The aim is to show the identity of the community by recovering the values of Gattinara’s cultural tradition.

Emigrant MUSEUM – Roasio

The museum collects photographs, documents and objects related to the migration of Roasians around the world from the late 19th century to present day.

The historic diving museum of Vercelli – Villarboit

The museum houses and presents objects, materials, photos and documents to promote knowledge of the activities carried out by many enthusiasts who bear witness to the evolution of diving in our time.

Ornithology museum of the Lame del Sesia park – ALBANO VERCELLESE

It documents the research carried out by the Park Authority. Ornithology is of the utmost importance: 700 perfectly formed and preserved specimens of European and non-European bird species, 140 of which can be observed in the park as resident or migratory birds. Other sectors are dedicated to the botanical characteristics of the forest, to land morphology, and to entomology

Vercelli theatre museum

The Museum hosts an exhibition section dedicated to Cesare Bardelli, one of the greatest Italian baritones of the 20th century, and one of the promoters of the competition bearing Viotti’s name. This section presents theatrical costumes, accessories, stage jewellery, scores, photos of artists with dedications, on-stage repertory photos, librettos and playbills from various international theatres, contracts, newspapers and magazines, musical items, ceramics and porcelain, paintings, cups, medals, recorders, records, tapes, CDs and DVDs reconstructing more than 60 years of theatrical history linked to events and illustrious personalities who performed in the city of rice.

“Picciòla” pharmacy museum – Vercelli

The Pharmacy Museum, comprising a route of six exhibition rooms furnished with 18th and 19th century furniture, recounts the evolution of pharmacy over two hundred years of history. The collection exhibits more than 2,000 objects, including balances, spirit aerosols, mortars, marble pestles of all sizes, stills, vases and other amazing items, such as the large crocodile hanging from the ceiling of the room furnished as a laboratory. In addition, more than 1,000 articles, historical documentation, 800 scientific volumes and 400 literature books can be viewed.

Arca – Exhibition centre

Located in the central aisle of St. Mark’s Church, “Arca” is an ultra modern glass and steel structure. This innovative parallelepiped has by now become one of the city’s symbols, as well as a “stylistic icon” of the intention and ability to combine both ancient and the contemporary. The structure’s crystal vaults allow visitors to admire the medieval and majestic vaults of St. Mark’s. In turn, the former church is returning, for the pleasure of Vercelli’s residents and tourists alike, the marvellous hidden 15th century frescoes unveiled by the young restorers of the Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre. It is an events and exhibition venue. The most important include the exhibitions in collaboration with the Guggenheim Foundation, “The Renaissance of Gaudenzio Ferrari” and the one dedicated to the Magna Charta and the 800th anniversary of St. Andrew’s Abbey.

Civic Archaeological Museum of the City of Vercelli “Luigi Bruzza” – Vercelli

The Civic Archaeological Museum of the City of Vercelli, named after the Barnabite Father Luigi Bruzza, an illustrious scholar who dedicated himself to the history and archaeology of Vercelli in the 19th century, displays an archaeological collection of over six hundred findings from stratigraphic investigations conducted in the city over the last thirty years, supplemented by infographics and multimedia installations. The exhibition begins with artefacts illustrating the pre-Roman occupation of the territory, inhabited by the Libui, a Celtic-speaking population that had merged with native Ligures. This is followed by the stages characterising the transformations that occurred with the entry into the Roman orbit, starting from the 2nd century BC, concerning material culture, urban planning and private dwellings, funeral and religious rituals and, finally, the small and large scale economy, ending with the crisis and the profound changes that occurred in Late Antiquity. Artefacts that are often intact, placed in their original context of discovery, individual flashbacks of a city that has much to tell.

The Cathedral treasure museum and chapter archive – Vercelli

The Museum, located in the Archbishop’s Palace, has one of the richest existing collections of sacred objects. Relics, reliquaries and artefacts of inestimable value and exquisite workmanship amaze the visitor, while telling the story of the diocese and of the evangelisation as intended by Eusebius, the first Bishop of Vercelli and Piedmont.

On display in the rooms are works of jewellery from the 7th to the 17th century; the facsimile edition of the Vercelli Book, the famous late 10th century codex in the ancient Anglo-Saxon language; artefacts from the restoration of the Cathedral’s great Ottonian Crucifix; reliquaries and liturgical furnishings. The exhibition track closes with the Pope’s Rooms, echoing the persistent bond between Vercelli and the papacy.

In addition to some furnishings related to Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1998, rich textiles and actual paintings are preserved in these rooms. Guided tours of the precious heritage of the Chapter Library can be organised for groups by appointment.

“Francesco Borgogna” museum – Vercelli

Opened to the public in 1908, it is situated in an elegant Neoclassical building. The collections are distinguished by their richness and quality. The 800 works, exhibited on three floors of the palace, include furniture, decorative arts, paintings, sculptures and graphics, covering a timeline from the 15th to the 20th centuries.

The altarpieces and frescoes from the Piedmont Renaissance period, the painting by the Divisionist Angelo Morbelli For eight cents!, the monumental canvases by Giuseppe Cominetti on the theme of work, and the portraits by Ambrogio Alciati. 

Antonio Borgogna (1822-1906), founder of the museum, lawyer and benefactor from Vercelli, dedicated his life to collecting objects and to several trips to Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, setting up a rich museum house featuring the eclectic taste and education in beauty that characterised 19th century collections.

“Camillo Leone” museum – Vercelli

Established in the early 20th century from the bequest of the collection of Camillo Leone, a notary from Vercelli, the museum is situated in two historical buildings: Casa Alciati and the 18th century Palazzo Langosco, linked by a connecting building designed in 1939 and housing the archaeological section, with interesting Roman artefacts from the area, including the famous bilingual Latin-Gallic stele.

The rooms of Palazzo Langosco display decorative art collections: majolica and glassware from major Italian factories, gold artefacts, furniture, and 18th century clothing. The following stand out among furnishings for their quality and rarity: Cardinal Guala Bicchieri’s Casket from Limousin, and the Casket from the Embriaghi workshop.

The antique library holds around 20,000 volumes, including illuminated parchment manuscripts, sixteenth century manuscripts and incunabula.

In the west wing of Palazzo Langosco, the magnificent Hall of Arms exhibits white weapons (halberds, swords, daggers) and apparatuses (armour, helmets, spurs, stirrups) from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. The tour closes with rooms dedicated to the popular gold items of the area, where hair ornaments, bracelets, necklaces, rings and other fine jewellery are on display.

Terre d’Acqua ecomuseum

Recovering tradition, handing down a distant but still strongly rooted civilisation and memory, and enhancing the tourist and historical-cultural features of the Vercelli plain. The area intrigues and fascinates with the enchantment of the flooded rice fields in spring, and with the peculiarities of the economy linked to rice production. The Terre d’Acqua Ecomuseum is an “open-air museum”. Its many environments, which characterise the area and its history, offer numerous opportunities to discover and appreciate local traditions.

Rice-growing conservatory – tenuta colombara

The Torrone della Colombara Estate is situated in the heart of the province of Vercelli. It is the most representative environment of the history of rice-growing. In memory of the centuries-old tradition, the Rice-Growing Conservatory has been created inside it, with the blacksmith’s, carpenter’s, saddler’s, cheesemaker’s and tailor’s workshops, the dwellings, the school, and the dormitory of the mondine (rice mill workers).

the “Ferraris” civic MUSEUM – livorno Ferraris

Established to preserve documents and objects related to the life of the great scientist Galileo Ferraris and his physician brother Adamo, in 1997 the museum was expanded and transformed into a cultural centre with educational laboratory to disseminate know-how, a venue for activities and experiments on the origins of electrical engineering

“G. A. Irico” civic museum – Trino vERCELLESE

Trino and its history are the protagonists of the museum named after Gian Andrea Irico, a witty man of letters and great 18th century historian. Events range from the earliest prehistoric findings to the events of the 19th century, which are covered in depth with informative panels and photographs.