Museo dell'Educazione – MudEd

Museum of the University of Padua on the history of school and early childhood in the 19th and 20th centuries, with desks, toys, teaching aids and photographs.

Opening hours unknown Partially accessible

Tickets Website Directions

Limited operations. Free Thursday afternoon visits are currently suspended; paid visits by reservation are possible.

About the museum

The Museo dell'Educazione of the Università di Padova, part of the FISPPA Department, grew out of the university's tradition of historical and educational studies, in particular from the courses in History of the School and Educational Institutions and History of Children's Literature, established from the 1960s. Its roots go back to the vision of Romeo Taverni in the 19th century; the formal foundation dates from 1993.

The collections document the educational and school history of the 19th and 20th centuries: desks, chairs, blackboards, toys, childcare materials, photographs, wall charts, maps, magic lanterns and audiovisual equipment. Alongside the objects, the museum preserves an intangible heritage of rhymes, songs and memories of educational practices.

The rooms illustrate school education, play and leisure, teaching aids and the school of work, outdoor schools and the archive with its book collection. One section is devoted to the first nursery schools inspired by Fröbel, Montessori and Agazzi, and another to the open-air school “Gioconda” in Este, active since 1922.

Highlights

Classroom reconstructed as it was a century ago
Puppet theatre and hand-built toy roller coaster (Ottovolante)
Collection of games and childcare materials
Section on open-air schools and the “Gioconda” school in Este
Archive and book collection with antique books, diaries and school exercise books

Permanent exhibitions

Collezioni del Museo dell'Educazione – Desks, toys, teaching aids, photographs and audiovisual materials telling the history of school and childhood in the 19th and 20th centuries.
La scuola all'aperto «Gioconda» di Este – Display dedicated to the mobile open-air school “Gioconda” in Este, active since 1922, with historical documents and materials of the period.

Founded: 1993
Operated by: Università degli Studi di Padova

Admission & discounts

Groups	–60-minute guided tour for groups of up to 23 people: €50 per group.
Guided group tour (60 minutes, up to 23 people)	€50Rate for the whole group; suitable also for groups with children; available in Italian.

Morning entry is paid and must be arranged with the call centre; individual ticket prices are not listed on the visit page.

Accessibility

Partially wheelchair accessible
Elevator
Accessible restroom: no information
Accessible parking: no information
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

Some of the exhibition spaces are accessible via dedicated routes; a lift connects the street level to the museum, and there are seats along the route. Personalised experiences can be arranged. The museum is in a limited traffic zone (ZTL): vehicles displaying a disabled parking permit may request a temporary pass.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

Family tours & workshops

Workshops and guided tours for schools, also designed for the youngest; the guided tour is suited to groups with children. Games and historical toys are part of the display.

Getting there & parking

By public transit

Tito Livio · 6-min walk · 400 m

Bus and tram stops within walking distance: from the north Padova Teatro Verdi and Via Dante (450 m, 6 minutes), from the east Tito Livio (400 m, 6 minutes), from the west Porta S. Giovanni (800 m, 11 minutes), from the south Prato della Valle (1,000 m, 13 minutes) and Cavalletto (1,000 m, 14 minutes). From Padua railway station it is about 23 minutes on foot (1.7 km).

By car

Parking available

The museum is in a ZTL and cannot be reached by private car or bus. Nearby car parks: Park Insurrezione (Piazza dell'Insurrezione 10/B, about 10 minutes on foot), Park Porte Contarine (Via Giacomo Matteotti 21/A, 13 minutes) and Park Prandina (Via Niccolò Orsini, 16 minutes); park-and-ride car parks with tram at Pontevigodarzere and Guizza.

By car: motorway A4, exits Padova Ovest or Padova Est; motorway A13, exits Padova Sud and Zona Industriale. The museum is a few steps from the Duomo (2 minutes on foot) and from Piazza delle Erbe (4 minutes).

Get directions

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit

Guided tours	yes · approx. 60 min
School programs	yes
Good to know	The guided tour covers the four exhibition rooms: school education, play and leisure, teaching aids and the school of work, outdoor schools and the archive. Bookings at +39 049 827 3939 or online; front office at +39 049 827 4662.