Museo dell'Arpa Victor Salvi
The first museum in the world devoted entirely to the harp, with a collection of more than 110 historic harps displayed on a rotating basis.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museo dell’Arpa Victor Salvi, in Piasco at the entrance to the Valle Varaita, was inaugurated on 3 December 2005 and opened to the public on 28 January 2006. It is run by the Associazione Museo dell’Arpa Victor Salvi and is considered the first and only museum in the world entirely devoted to the harp, its history and its sound world. It was promoted by the company Salvi Harps, the Victor Salvi Foundation and the Comunità Montana Valle Varaita.
The building, designed by the architect Dario Castellino as a soundbox, is lined with wood inside and metal outside, and was built above the former Wild cotton mill, a 19th-century industrial building. Visitors enter by a spiral staircase suspended on metal cables that recall harp strings. The complex includes the exhibition space, an auditorium, the ticket office and the museum shop.
The collection, inspired by Victor Salvi, has more than 110 historic harps and is displayed on a rotating basis: the exhibition “L’evoluzione dell’arpa: le origini, Sébastien Érard, Victor Salvi” tells the story of the instrument’s development from antiquity, with particular attention to Érard’s invention of the double-action mechanism and to Salvi’s work. The museum also hosts concerts, seminars, guided tours and educational workshops.
Highlights
- More than 110 historic harps in the collection, displayed on a rotating basis
- Exhibition on the evolution of the harp: origins, Érard, Victor Salvi
- Harps from Africa, Asia and Europe, from the Celtic harp to the Welsh triple harp
- Soundbox-shaped building designed by Dario Castellino
- Auditorium for concerts and concert series
Permanent exhibition
- L'evoluzione dell'arpa: le origini, Sébastien Érard, Victor Salvi – Harps selected to illustrate the development of the instrument from antiquity to the masterpieces of Érard and Salvi.
- Founded
- 2006
- Operated by
- Associazione Museo dell'Arpa Victor Salvi
- Visitors per year
- approx. 2,262
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4Children aged 6 to 12 and people over 65 |
| Children & teens | €4free up to age 5 · Reduced ticket for children aged 6 to 12. |
| Seniors | €4Over 65. |
| Groups | –Reduced rates for groups, to be requested from the museum. |
The guided tour is included in the ticket price. Free admission for harpists and with the Abbonamento Musei Torino; discounts for holders of Visit Monviso, Monviso Card, ViviCamper, Simply Market, FAI and IBS Premium cards, and for visitors who present a ticket for certain museums in Saluzzo (Museo della Civiltà Cavalleresca, Museo della Memoria Carceraria in Castiglia, Pinacoteca Matteo Olivero, Torre Civica, Casa Cavassa, Casa Natale Silvio Pellico). Payment is also accepted with Satispay.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Staff accompany visitors with visual impairments or blindness through the visit as well. On request, visitors with disabilities can park in the inner courtyard.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By car
- Accessible parking
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
Museum shop with gifts and accessories dedicated to the harp.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The guided tour is included in the ticket. Schools and groups must book at +39 0175 270 510 or by e-mail; educational routes are available, including a workshop and a visit to Salvi Harps. |
