Silk Museum

Type:

Luoghi della cultura; Ente/Istituzione

Category:

Science and technology museums

Inaugurated on 4 October 1990, the Museo Didattico della seta presents an array of equipment, tools, documents and fabric samples bearing witness to the tradition of textile production that made Como the Italian city of silk. This truly unique museum of machinery is a place of culture with a complete, educational programme accessible to all. The initial project, focused on equipment, has been developed through refurbishment and the creation of new exhibition rooms, a multimedia library and new services in such a way as to harness the collections of artefacts, fabrics, samples and technical drawings built up over the years and expanded by numerous donations. Como alone can display the processing of the precious material that generated its wealth and charm because Como alone has such a history of silk manufacture and culture developed through the extraordinary skills of its artisans and industry from 1850 to 1950. While opening its doors to the general public and organizing specific exhibitions in the field of textile production, the museum is involved in the purchasing, restoration and maintenance of new items capable of illustrating the various phases of silk manufacture and hence performing an educational function aimed at deeper understanding. It has also produced its own documentation, in particular a general catalogue in Italian and English and a short guide, which prove very useful to the many foreign visitors and students that pour in every year.