Museum of Peasant Art (Caldarola)

History of the Museum of Peasant Art in Caldarola

The museum was founded in August 2006 by a married couple, Aurora and Betto Sclavi. It grew out of the couple's fondness for the memories of their youth and for the everyday life of their parents. Its aim is to show what life and work were like in the countryside of the Marche in the 20th century.

What to see in the Museum of Peasant Art

The collections are spread over two floors. On the lower ground floor, in the cellar, there is an old wine press, barrels and tools for processing grapes, including a boiler for cooking the must. In one corner are tools from rural carpentry. The other room holds a sorter for wheat and seeds and machines for cleaning legumes.

On the second floor, near the entrance, are a period loom still in working order and a rare scale for silkworms. There are also a kneading chest for pasta and bread, a small display case with old glasses, bottles and plates, a stove and tools for work in the fields. Some objects recall women's work and children's games. On the walls are photographs of household and textile work, and books, old documents, membership cards and newspapers can be consulted. Under the outdoor canopy, a reproduction of farm animals and agricultural vehicles recreates the farmyard of the past.

Visiting the Museum of Peasant Art

The museum is private, so it is best to book a visit or check the opening times beforehand. Some captions are in Italian. The museum also offers a library service. The visit does not depend on the season, so it can be planned at any time of year.

Where the Museum of Peasant Art is located

The museum is in Vestignano, a hamlet of the municipality of Caldarola, in the inland area of the province of Macerata. The entrance is in the highest part of the village, where the streets follow the layout of an old medieval castle.

Around the Museum of Peasant Art in Caldarola

In Caldarola, the Museo Civico includes the Pinacoteca della Resistenza (Resistance art gallery), a section devoted to the Caldarola Sistina and rooms for temporary exhibitions, but it has been temporarily closed since the 2016 earthquake. In Pievefavera, the medieval village has kept its three concentric rings of walls. This is also where the Pievefavera Antiquarium (Caldarola) is located; it reopened in 2025 after renovation and a new layout. For other collections in the area, see the page on museums in the Sibillini Mountains.