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MuSa - Museum of Salò
- Category What see Lake Garda and Verona
Agriturismo - Where to stay overnight
MuSa – Museum of Salò
MuSa, the Museum of Salò, opened in August 2015 inside the beautifully restored 17th‑century complex of Santa Giustina. In just a few years it has become the cultural hub of the Brescia side of Lake Garda, hosting international‑level temporary exhibitions, concerts, workshops and conferences.
Ground floor – Two introductory rooms display the remarkable historical instruments of the Pio Bettoni Meteorological and Seismic Observatory, founded on Santa Giustina’s bell tower in 1877 and still active today in partnership with Italy’s INGV and ARPA Lombardy. Mercury barometers, drum seismographs and maximum‑minimum thermometers illustrate the evolution of scientific research on the lake.
First floor – Inside the deconsecrated church, a dramatic itinerary presents nine key figures in the town’s history: from the humanist Jacopo Bonfadio to master luthier Gasparo da Salò; from local scientists (Berti, Gonzaga, Zambelli) to the tragic finale of the Italian Social Republic. Documents, period films and immersive installations bring these stories to life.
Second floor – Objects, archival maps and artworks trace the turbulent decades after the fall of Venice, the birth of lake tourism and the 20th century marked by Gabriele d’Annunzio at the Vittoriale. A multimedia corner lets visitors explore stereoscopic photos and Art‑Nouveau postcards of Belle‑Époque Garda.
Third floor – A rotating selection from the Civic Drawing Collection, unique in Italy for size and quality: more than 800 sheets by post‑war masters (Fontana, Afro, Vedova, Accardi, Paladino). Established in 1983 by a citizens’ committee, the fund keeps growing through donations and targeted acquisitions, with new themed displays every six months.
Services & accessibility: MuSa offers a bookshop, a café with lake‑view terrace, a 120‑seat conference hall and tactile routes for visually impaired visitors. Opening hours: Tue–Sun 10 am–6 pm (Jul–Aug until 10 pm). Online ticketing and audio guides in four languages available.
