Museo della Seta di Como
Textile museum that tells the whole story of the Como silk chain, from the silkworm to printing and finishing, with machines, sample books and accessible routes.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museo della Seta di Como preserves and tells the story of the city’s textile tradition, which in the 19th and 20th centuries made Como one of the most important silk centres in Europe. The Associazione per il Museo della Seta (Association for the Silk Museum), founded in 1992 and recognised by the Lombardy Region in 1999, collected machinery, work tools, sample books and documents, coming mainly from closed companies and private donations.
The educational museum received regional recognition as a museum in 2004. Today it is run by the Fondazione della Seta ETS, created by merging the Fondazione Setificio, the association of former students of the Setificio (silk school) and the Associazione per il Museo della Seta.
The route covers about 1,000 square metres and eight rooms and takes visitors through the stages of production, from the silkworm to the finishing of the fabric, with machines and tools dating from the late 19th to the first half of the 20th century. The collections also include archives of designs and sample books, 20th-century fabrics and garments, lace, weaving notebooks, photographs and films, largely not on display but available to consult by appointment.
Since 2023, with funds from the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan), the display has been renewed with multisensory routes designed for visitors with different needs.
Highlights
- Route through eight rooms, from the silkworm to finishing
- Textile machines and tools from the late 19th century
- Olfactory and tactile routes with Braille and LIS (Italian Sign Language) videos
- “La Via della Seta” section with the labels of imported silk skeins
- Archives of sample books and designs for printing
Permanent exhibitions
- Il percorso della filiera serica – Eight rooms with machines and tools from the late 19th century that illustrate the stages of silk production, from the silkworm to finishing.
- La Via della Seta – Section devoted to the collection of labels from skeins of raw silk imported from Japan and China, dating from the early 20th century.
- Operated by
- Fondazione della Seta ETS
- Visitors per year
- approx. 12,320
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Under 18s, students with a student card, season-ticket holders of Como 1907 or Torino FC |
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 2 · Free under 3; under-18s pay €5. |
| Seniors | €7Over 65: €7. The same rate applies to residents of Como. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for the visitor with a disability and their companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €5Students with a student card. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €7 per personFrom 10 to 25 people, Italian-language guide included; for schools €5 per person. |
| Families | –Parent €7, child up to 18 years €3.50. |
| Schools (10–25 people, guide included) | €5Price per person. |
| Families, child up to 18 years | €3.50With a parent at €7. |
Free admission also for members of the Associazione per il Museo della Seta, police and security forces, journalists with a press card and ICOM members. The €7 rate also applies to Sentiero dei Sogni, Parolario and Associazione Iubilantes. Tickets can be bought at the museum or online.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- 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 states that it is fully accessible and has removed architectural and cognitive barriers. There is a tactile route with Braille panels, an olfactory route, LIS videos in every room, radio beacons for white canes and an online virtual tour. Staff have taken a course on LIS and deafness.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 2 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Reduced family ticket and a free web app with games and quizzes to discover silk.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
San Martino/Università
Trenord train Milano Cadorna–Como Lago, stop Como Nord Borghi; FS train Milano–Chiasso, stop Como San Giovanni; ASF bus line 7, stop San Martino/Università.
By car
Paid parking
Paid parking: Via Castelnuovo–Università multi-storey car park, Via Castelnuovo surface car park, Ippocastano car park in Via Aldo Moro.
By car from the A9 motorway, take the Como Sud exit, direction Lecco–Bergamo.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi throughout the building. Self-service machines for hot and cold drinks. Small shop at the entrance with products from the Como area; small dogs are admitted if carried or in a carrier.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (IT, EN, FR) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography and filming inside the museum are permitted. |
| Good to know | About ten free audio guides (Italian, English and French, about 40 minutes) are included in the ticket. Group visits of at least 10 people are always guided; the guide is included in the price, with a surcharge for foreign languages. Collections not on display and the library can be consulted by appointment. |
