Museo della Pastorizia

About the museum

The Museo della Pastorizia opened in 2017 in Castelsaraceno, in the area between the Parco nazionale del Pollino and the Parco nazionale dell’Appennino Lucano. It was funded by the PSR Basilicata 2007/2013 (measure 323, protection and upgrading of the rural heritage) and by the Programma operativo Val d’Agri Melandro Sauro Camastra of the Regione Basilicata; the scientific committee is overseen by the Università degli Studi della Basilicata.

The route tells the social, economic and cultural story of the village and the work of the shepherds, from the transhumance drove roads (tratturi) to the knowledge linked to livestock farming and dairy processing. The display combines restored period objects, recovered thanks to donations from residents, with multimedia technology: video interviews with older people, interactive stations, panoramic projections and a unit that releases scents of the local area.

The visit is organised into four themed rooms: Sala del Tempo (Time), Sala dello Spazio (Space), Sala dei Saperi (Knowledge) and Sala della Memoria (Memory). The last collects short films on transhumance, on the shepherd's typical day and on the ’Ndenna festival, an ancient tree rite in honour of St Anthony that is still alive in local tradition.

Highlights

• Sala del Tempo with immersive panoramic projection on four projectors and local scents
• Sala dello Spazio with objects of pastoral work and RFID multimedia station
• Sala dei Saperi with video interviews with shepherds and display cases of objects
• Sala della Memoria with short films on transhumance and the ’Ndenna festival

Permanent exhibitions

• Sala del Tempo – Elliptical room with an immersive panoramic time-lapse projection of the Lucanian landscape, accompanied by real sounds and local scents.
• Sala dei Saperi – Video interviews with shepherds on the knowledge handed down, together with display cases of objects from pastoral work.
• Sala della Memoria – Four short films on transhumance, the shepherd's day, the ’Ndenna festival and village life, triggered by a presence sensor.

Founded

2017

Operated by

Comune di Castelsaraceno

Admission & discounts

Free admission for holders of the ticket for the Ponte tibetano di Castelsaraceno (to be shown). The ticket can only be bought at the info point in Piazza Piano della Corte, opposite the town hall.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

Interactive multimedia stations with objects to look at and touch; for schools, museum education with a multimedia route is available.

Getting there & parking

The info point with the ticket office is at Piazza Piano della Corte 10, opposite the town hall. From Tito (SS 407 Basentana), follow the SS 95 towards Brienza and then the SS 598 (Fondo Valle d’Agri) to the Castelsaraceno exit; from the A3 motorway, leave at Lauria Nord and follow the SS 653 Sinnica.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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