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Civic museums of Carpi in the castle of the Pio family: the Museo del Palazzo on Renaissance Carpi and the Museo della Città, from archaeology to knitwear.
September 18, 2026 – March 29, 2027
In the Sala dei Mori, the exhibition shows how the ancient Egyptians sought to understand and contain chaos. At its centre is Maat, goddess of order and justice, whom the pharaoh had to preserve.
March 28, 2026 – January 10, 2027
The exhibition tells the story of cooking, the table and diet in the 15th and 16th centuries, with attention to the Pio family. Works of art, original tools and interactive digital installations show food as nourishment and social symbol.
The Carpi civic museum was established on 18 April 1896 by the Commissione di Storia Patria and opened on 7 June 1914, thanks in part to the 1913 donation of Pietro Foresti. In 1937 a woodcut museum opened in the castle, the idea of engraver Luigi Servolini, and in 1946 the museum was named after Giulio Ferrari, its first director.
Management passed to the Municipality of Carpi in 1973. An archaeology section was opened in 1990 in the Sala dei Cervi. The earthquake of 15 October 1996 damaged the palace and halted activities; after a long rearrangement, the current Musei di Palazzo dei Pio were created in 2008, across more than 3,000 square metres between the noble floor and the restored attic.
On the noble floor, the Museo del Palazzo tells the story of Renaissance Carpi through architecture, decoration and works of art, including the prints of Ugo da Carpi. In the attic, the Museo della Città offers a circular route through about thirty-five centuries of local history, from archaeological finds to scagliola, truciolo (wood-shaving craft) and knitwear. The complex also includes the church of San Nicolò.
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3Groups of at least 25 people, EU citizens aged 19–25 and over 65, teachers and accompanying adults, members of the Touring Club Italiano, FAI and affiliated bodies |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for EU citizens under 18. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Free admission for people with disabilities or fragilities and for one family member or companion. |
| Students & apprentices | –Free admission for university students with a student card and for enrolled students of the Unimore courses in Carpi. |
| Groups (26+ people) | €3 per personGroups of more than 25 people. |
| Carpicard Musei (Musei di Palazzo dei Pio + Museo Monumento al Deportato), standard | €6 |
| Carpicard Musei, reduced | €4 |
| Guided tour | €3Per person; by booking. |
| Workshop | €3Per person; by booking. |
Free admission: First Sunday of the month for everyone
Free admission also for holders of a YoungERcard, qualified tour guides, Ministero della Cultura staff, ICOM members and accredited journalists. Tickets online via Vivaticket. For schools, booking is mandatory and admission is free for students and teachers.
The main entrance on Piazza dei Martiri is not accessible by wheelchair; step-free access for people with mobility impairments is through the north courtyard (Cortiletto nord), where a lift serves the first floor (please alert the ticket office, tel. 059 649360). Piazzale Re Astolfo has a ramp for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Accessible toilets on the first and second floors. Tactile models of artworks, tactile panels with video in LIS (Italian Sign Language) and captions in Braille are available. Priority access to the ticket office and entrance.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
The museum offers educational activities for schools, children and families.
Stazione FS di Carpi · 500 m
Carpi FS railway station on the Modena–Mantova line (Piazzale Stazione 1), about 500 m from the museum. SETA bus ticket office and bus terminal in Piazzale Allende.
By car: A22 Modena–Brennero motorway, Carpi exit, about 5 km from the centre. The entrance on Piazza dei Martiri is not accessible by wheelchair; for pushchairs, use the north courtyard (Cortiletto nord).
Get directionsThe museum hasn’t published any information on this.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours and workshops by booking (tel. 059 649955 or 059 649360, musei@comune.carpi.mo.it). Guide dogs are admitted; assistance animals with certification should be reported by e-mail; other animals are allowed only if they weigh up to 8 kg and are carried in a bag or carrier. |
