Versilia’s must-see museums

Versilia is not only sea and beaches, it is also an area rich in history, art and culture. There are in fact several museums in its territory that are undoubtedly worth a visit (at least) once in a lifetime.

Which Versilia museums are not to be missed? Let’s discover them together!

Villa Puccini Museum in Torre del Lago

On the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli lies Villa Puccini, where the composer of ‘La Bohéme’ and ‘Tosca’ lived for more than twenty years, dividing his time between work, hunting on the lake and parties with a varied group of hunters, fishermen and bohemian artists. The splendid residence, with its typical Art Nouveau appearance of late 19th century bourgeois cottages, has been preserved almost exactly as it was then and is now a museum. Inside, one can admire memorabilia that belonged to the master such as the Förster piano, some portraits, the death mask, a precious screen from Japan and other objects from everyday life. In front of the house-museum is the Great Open-air Theatre, where the Puccini Festival is held every summer.

Museum of Work and Popular Traditions of Historical Versilia in Seravezza

The Museo del Lavoro e delle Tradizioni Popolari della Versilia Storica (Museum of Work and Popular Traditions of Historical Versilia), housed on the second floor of the Palazzo Mediceo in Seravezza, built in the second half of the 16th century at the behest of Cosimo I de’ Medici (probably to a design by Bernardo Buontalenti), is also well worth a visit. Inaugurated in 1996, the museum illustrates, through approximately two thousand objects, the life of the area before the advent of industrialisation. The exhibition itinerary is divided into eleven rooms, which deal with working activities (agriculture, mining, sculpture, weaving, etc.) as well as the daily life of individuals and the community. In addition to the museum, the building houses the Sirio Giannini Library, the Municipal Historical Archive and important exhibitions of modern and contemporary art.

Museum of Satire and Caricature in Forte dei Marmi

Forte dei Marmi is home to the Museum of Satire and Caricature, which has a rich collection of satirical drawings, both contemporary and from the past. Set up inside the Forte Lorenese (the symbol of the town), it was created from the works submitted to the Political Satire Prize (which still represent the main material in the collection). In addition to a wide range of drawings, the museum’s holdings include a library with approximately 2,500 volumes and many satirical publications from the 1800s and 1900s, a video library and a multimedia archive. Among the authors on display are big names such as Lorenzo Viani, Angiolo Tricca, Carletto Manzoni, Milo Manara and George Cruikshank. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum regularly hosts temporary exhibitions.

Carnival Museum in Viareggio

Not to be missed is the Carnival Museum in Viareggio, where one can relive the glorious history and tradition of the Viareggio carnival, a testimony to the artistic and organisational skills of Italians throughout the world. It is located inside the Cittadella del Carnevale, the large urban park where the papier-mâché masters work. The exhibition boasts works of contemporary art inspired by the carnival and includes a selection of images documenting its artistic evolution. Among the various artists present are Enrico Prampolini, Lucio Venna, Moses Levy and Umberto Bonetti. Of particular interest is the Espace Gilbert, in which significant elements of the allegorical constructions that paraded at the carnival are presented, divided into thematic areas.

Lorenzo Viani Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Viareggio

Also in Viareggio is the Lorenzo Viani Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art (GAMC), one of the most important museums in Versilia. It is located in the historic Palazzo delle Muse, built at the end of the 19th century by the Marine Hospice Committee. The gallery houses a heritage of over 3000 works (mostly donated by private individuals) by around 750 artists who were protagonists of 20th century art, including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Sonia Delaunay, Max Ernst, Roy Lichtenstein, Ottone Rosai, Giorgio de Chirico and Mimmo Rotella, just to name a few. The GAMC also owns the most important public collection of works by Lorenzo Viani from Viareggio, considered one of the greatest exponents of Italian Expressionism.

Civic Archaeological Museum of Camaiore

Finally, we recommend you visit the Civic Archaeological Museum of Camaiore. Reopened in 2016 after a long renovation, it illustrates the archaeological evidence of the area, from Prehistory to the Middle Ages up to the proto-industrial age. It is located on the mezzanine floor and in the basement of Palazzo Tori Massoni, a historic Renaissance building located in the heart of the historic center. There are “tactile”, “experimental” and “sound and olfactory” stations to allow visitors to interact with the man of the past. Among the exhibits on display are the cast of the femur of Homo neanderthalensis found at the Buca del Tasso and the marble and shell ornaments from the Buca del Corno (collective burial from the Copper Age).

Photo gallery © Villa Museo Giacomo Puccini | Visit Tuscany | Carnevale di Viareggio