Museo del Giocattolo e delle Cere «Pietro Piraino»
Museum of antique toys and wax figures in Bagheria, with educational wax-modelling workshops, a multimedia room and a café.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum grew out of the idea of play as a model of real life and out of the wish of its founder, researcher Pietro Piraino Papoff, to collect and restore antique toys and dolls so that they can be preserved for future generations. The collection was expanded together with his daughters Laila and Lucilla.
The toy and wax collections are considered to be of great demo-ethno-anthropological value and are subject to protection by the Sicilian Region. Pieces mentioned include a French barrel organ from 1800, an 18th-century Sicilian automaton and a toy from the Mauthausen concentration camp.
The museum offers children a journey through time to teach interculturalism, solidarity and acceptance of diversity through play. It has a multimedia room, a wax-modelling workshop, a teaching room, a bookshop and a café.
Highlights
- Restored antique toys and dolls
- Wax collection of demo-ethno-anthropological value
- French barrel organ from 1800
- Sicilian automaton from the 18th century
- Wax-modelling workshops and experiential learning
Permanent exhibition
- Collezione di giocattoli e cere – Antique toys and dolls, automatons, barrel organs and wax figures from the Piraino collection.
- Founded
- 1994
- Visitors per year
- approx. 5,400
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3children under 6, school groups and people with disabilities |
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Hands-on workshops on old group games, homemade toys, clay, papier-mâché and plaster, nativity-scene art and puppets; “Giochiamo insieme” section.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Café and bookshop in the museum.
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 and workshops by advance booking (by e-mail, telephone or the museum's mobile phone). The teaching room holds up to 30 people; courses and wax-modelling internships for young people and adults are also offered. |
