Museum of the City and Territory in Monsummano Terme

The Museum of the City and Territory in Monsummano Terme is housed in the Osteria dei Pellegrini, a building constructed in the early 17ᵗʰ century at the behest of Grand Duke Ferdinando I and designed by architect Gherardo Mechini to accommodate the faithful on their way to the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Fontenuova. In the 19ᵗʰ century, the property was purchased by the municipality to be used as offices and a prison. Following major restoration works, the Museum was then inaugurated in 1998. Today, together with the Giuseppe Giusti Municipal Library located on the ground floor of the building, it forms Mu.Bi., a structured and vibrant cultural reality serving the community. On the second floor, the museum houses the valuable documentary complex of the Municipal Historical Archives.

The permanent exhibition in the museum spaces—comprised of educational panels, models and photographic reconstructions—documents various aspects of the territory of Monsummano Terme and the Valdinievole. There is the geology of the Monsummano hill, the Fucecchio Marsh and reclamation of the land, the walled medieval villages, the Grotta Giusti, traditional and early production activities in the area, along with a memorial of the tragic events occurring on August 23, 1944. One section is dedicated to the Treasure of Maria Santissima della Fontenuova, owned by the parish and partly preserved and displayed in the Civic Museum. The large space in the central hall then houses temporary exhibitions.

The museum is recognized as a Museum of Regional Significance, with its value having likewise been declared by the European Museum Forum with a special mention in the 2001 European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA).

For information on accessibility: museoterritorio.it