Museo della civiltà contadina

About the museum

The Museo della civiltà contadina is housed in Villa Smeraldi, in the hamlet of San Marino di Bentivoglio, and belongs to the Istituzione Villa Smeraldi of the Metropolitan City of Bologna. The villa is surrounded by a historic park with a small lake, where the museum’s refreshment point is also located.

The route tells the story of the work and everyday life of the Bolognese countryside and of the sharecroppers’ plain, valleys and rice fields. The sections cover the smallholding (podere), wheat and maize, firewood, leaves and wine, the farmhouse courtyard (corte colonica) and family, rural craftsmen, hemp as a versatile fibre, honey and sugar, peasant cooking and the orchard (pomario).

The museum also holds storage areas and a library with archives, and it offers educational routes, training courses, exhibitions and seasonal initiatives such as the Festa della semina (Sowing Festival). It also offers tactile routes accessible to blind visitors and video presentations in LIS.

Highlights

• Villa Smeraldi with historic park and small lake
• Sections on smallholding, wheat, hemp, honey and sugar
• Reconstructed peasant kitchen and farmhouse courtyard
• Routes accessible to blind visitors
• Orchard and seasonal events such as the Festa della semina

Permanent exhibition

• Le sezioni del museo – Route on smallholding, wheat, firewood and wine, the farmhouse courtyard, rural craftsmen, hemp, honey and sugar, peasant cooking and the orchard.

Founded

1975

Operated by

Città metropolitana di Bologna (Istituzione Villa Smeraldi)

Admission & discounts

The discounts cannot be combined with other reductions. Free admission also for holders of the Card Cultura. Surcharges apply for guided tours in a foreign language or in the evening time slot.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is accessible to people with disabilities in all spaces open to the public, with compliant ramps and lifts or goods lifts. Two routes accessible to blind people are offered (“Vita domestica” and “La lavorazione della canapa”, about 2.5 hours, designed with La Girobussola APS; information on 051 659 8080), together with a presentation video with an LIS interpreter and subtitles.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum has an educational offer for schools and initiatives for families, such as the Festa della semina.

Getting there & parking

By car: Interporto exit of the A13 Bologna–Padua motorway, then Via San Marina; or the SS64 Bologna–Ferrara, or the SP4 Bologna–San Giorgio di Piano–Galliera, following the signs “Museo della civiltà contadina”. It is also possible to reach the museum by bicycle along the Navile canal.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant
• Coat check

The Locanda Smeraldi, in the park beside the lake, is open from Tuesday to Friday for lunch, on Saturday for dinner and on Sunday for lunch; in summer there is also a kiosk in the park. Luggage, including large items, can be left free of charge.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The museum offers the rooms of the villa for booking (“Prenota le sale della villa” page on the website).

Plan your visit