Museo Atelier Giuditta Brozzetti
Hand-weaving museum workshop in the former church of San Francesco delle Donne in Perugia, with antique looms in operation and guided tours.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Laboratorio Giuditta Brozzetti, founded in 1996, carries on the weaving tradition of Perugia and the women’s work begun by the Benedictine nuns in the church of San Francesco delle Donne. Today it is one of the last hand-weaving workshops in Italy and works as a museum and atelier, with guided tours and weaving courses.
The church, dating back to 1212, is the oldest Franciscan church in Perugia: St Francis preached here, and in the Valle della Conca a small hermitage took shape. In 1252 the Franciscans handed the convent over to the Benedictine nuns, which gave rise to the name “delle Donne” (of the women). Suppressed in 1810, the building housed an institute for educating poor girls until 1821 and then, in the 19th century, a silk mill of Count Zeffirino Faina, where up to 300 women worked; in 1925 the ceramics factory La Salamandra moved in.
The workshop recalls the tradition of the “tovaglie perugine” (Perugian tablecloths), textiles that from the late 12th century served as altar cloths throughout central Italy and appear in paintings by great masters. Visitors can see original 18th- and 19th-century looms in operation and follow the stages of production.
Highlights
- Original 18th- and 19th-century looms in operation
- Practical hand-weaving demonstration
- Church of San Francesco delle Donne, Perugia’s oldest Franciscan church
- Tradition of the Perugian tablecloths
- Weaving courses and craft textile shop
Permanent exhibition
- Telai storici e laboratorio di tessitura – Historic workshop with original 18th- and 19th-century looms in operation and hand-weaving demonstrations.
- Founded
- 1996
- Operated by
- Giuditta Brozzetti Società Cooperativa
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission Monday to Friday in the morning; the website does not publish prices for guided tours and courses.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
Guided tours also for families and school classes.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
Shop with table runners, bedspreads, cushions, scarves, stoles and bookmarks; also sold online.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours of about 45–60 minutes by appointment only, in Italian, English and French, for families, tourists, groups and schools; book by form, e-mail or telephone. The route tells the story of Umbrian textiles and every stage of production, with demonstrations on original looms. |
