Casa delle Antiche Scatole di Latta

Museum in Gerano devoted to Italian tin boxes produced between 1890 and 1950, open by appointment.

Opening hours unknownFree admission

About the museum

The Casa delle Antiche Scatole di Latta in Gerano is presented as the first museum in Italy entirely dedicated to tin boxes. The collection was built up over decades by Marina Durand de la Penne, starting from a gift, and includes more than 1,500 Italian examples made between the late nineteenth century and the 1950s.

The boxes, used as packaging for sweets and other products, document the history of Italian design, graphics and advertising of the period. They are arranged by theme, from illustrations celebrating the wedding of the House of Savoy to colonial campaigns and the post-war economic boom; some are signed by well-known illustrators, while others are large display packages up to fifty centimetres tall.

The display cases show fine pieces and products from the history of the Italian confectionery industry, accompanied by a section on the origins and history of the boxes. The museum also has a library for scholars and researchers and, in summer, organises evenings of storytelling in the village called “Favole del borgo”.

Highlights

More than 1,500 Italian tin boxes from 1890–1950
Boxes signed by well-known illustrators and large display packaging
Route by theme, from the House of Savoy wedding to the economic boom
Library for scholars and researchers

Permanent exhibition

Collezione di antiche scatole di latta – More than 1,500 Italian boxes from 1890–1950, arranged by theme in the museum’s display cases.

Operated by: Marina Durand de la Penne