Museum MuSa in Salò - Lake Garda

Since June 2015, Salò’s museum has told of its story and peculiarities. Here, visitors get an introduction to the cultural background and the true identity of the city.

The museum is in different areas, all of which follow the theme of the town of Salò. The museum blends in perfectly with the landscape around it, thus maintaining a constant dialogue with the city and Lake Garda. The structure of the MuSa consists of three levels, which are within the former church of Santa Giustina. The complex was built in 1587 and served until 1773 as a boarding school for the Order of the Somasks. Later, it was used until recently for educational purposes for example, technical colleges.

Between 2005 and 2009, the complex was completely renovated and the interior was made accessible to visitors. The ground floor usually hosts contemporary exhibitions. Also, an informative tour facilitates access for visually impaired and blind visitors.

In the numerous and spacious halls of the MuSa, visitors can view various works of art, string instruments, antique machines, collections and even mummies through a historical and thematic tour. The courtyard also hosts concerts, shows, meetings and exhibitions throughout the year.

The historical tour in MuSa

On the first floor, museum visitors will learn more about Salò and the history of the city, about humanism, about the essential historical actions of Gasparo Bertolotti and the myth of violin making, to the great scientists who were born in the city. The adjoining rooms illustrate the heyday of Salò during the Middle Ages and the Republic of Venice. On the second floor, the exhibits and works of art tell of the struggles of the Italian Risorgimento following the Republic of Venice, to the birth of tourism and the time of Gabriele d'Annunzio.

The Republic of Salò

The city of Salò was the scene of many tragic events in the years of the Italian Social Republic. A multimedia tour of information boards and videos will introduce visitors to the history of Italy and Salò after the 8th of September. It’s about the struggles and experiences of all those who joined the army of the Social Republic after that date and the partisans who fought for freedom. The narrative was by Roberto Chiarini and is based solely on tales, not material evidence. Four eyewitnesses tell of their experiences and speak from two perspectives of the war, which has torn Italy well beyond April 25, 1945.

Scientific & Artistic Collections

In addition to the historical overview of the city of Salò, on the ground floor of the museum, the ancient instruments of the weather and earthquake station from Pio Bettoni in Salò are exhibited, which was founded in 1877 and still exists today. The exhibits make it possible to follow the development of observation and registration of the data of meteorological and seismic phenomena. The exhibition ranges from instruments from the 19th century to modern electronic sensors. Visitors will also be able to admire the collection of anatomical specimens of the physician Giovan Battista Rini (1795-1856) and, of course, his experiments in fossilization with the help of particular chemical compounds.

Art lovers should not miss the paintings, manuscripts and sculptures from different epochs. Also, numerous musical instruments such as violins and double basses are displayed, which together with famous musicians from the area have developed a unique reputation throughout the centuries in Salò, throughout Italy and across the state border.

Additional Information:
www.museodisalo.it

Updated: 19/04/2024

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