Museo delle bambole e del costume Arbëreshë
Museum in Frascineto dedicated to Arbëreshë culture: costumes embroidered in gold and dolls dressed in the clothing of the Albanian communities of southern Italy.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum in Frascineto, an Arbëreshë municipality in the Pollino National Park, was founded so that the memory of the costumes and traditions of the Albanian communities settled in southern Italy would not be lost. The display is divided into two sections: the first is dedicated to the Albanians of southern Italy and traces the waves of migration, beginning in the forties of the 15th century, which affected among other areas Cosenza, Catanzaro and Crotone, Sicily, Molise and Abruzzo; the second illustrates the traditions of Albania, with particular attention to social class differences and the clothing of the aristocracy.
The collection includes original 19th-century costumes with precious gold-thread embroidery and numerous garments (skirts, veils, headdresses, belts), which are also shown in the exhibition “Cultura arbërore attraverso i secoli”. Alongside the costumes there is a small collection of dolls dressed in the traditional clothing of the various communities, historic photographs, icons and objects of Calabrian craftsmanship. Halfway through the route stands a bust of the Albanian national hero Giorgio Castriota Scanderbeg. According to a notice from the Comune di Frascineto (updated March 2025), the museum is temporarily closed to the public for renovation.
Highlights
- Arbëreshë costumes with gold-thread embroidery
- Dolls dressed in the clothing of the Albanian communities of southern Italy
- Exhibition “Cultura arbërore attraverso i secoli” with original 19th-century costumes
- Bust of Giorgio Castriota Scanderbeg
- Historic photographs, icons and objects of Calabrian craftsmanship
Permanent exhibitions
- Gli albanesi dell’Italia meridionale – Section on Albanian migration to Italy from the 15th century, with costumes, dolls in traditional dress and historic photographs.
- Gli albanesi in Albania – Section on the traditions of Albania, social classes and the clothing of the aristocracy.
- Operated by
- Comune di Frascineto
Admission & discounts
The museum is temporarily closed for renovation; no reopening date has been announced.
Accessibility
The museum is temporarily closed for renovation; no reopening date has been announced.
Kids & families
The museum is temporarily closed for renovation; no reopening date has been announced.
Getting there & parking
The museum is temporarily closed for renovation; no reopening date has been announced.
Amenities & dining
The museum is temporarily closed for renovation; no reopening date has been announced.
Events & venue rental
The museum is temporarily closed for renovation; no reopening date has been announced.
