Museo didattico del libro antico

About the museum

The museum grew out of the activities of the Associazione Fannius, which has run educational workshops for schools in Tivoli since 1976. After a first base in the castle of Rocca Pia, in 1978 the activities moved to Villa d’Este; the following year, in 1979, the museum and the educational spaces were set up. Workshops on the Libraria of Ippolito II d’Este began in 1980, while in 1988 a second room was made available for activities with schools.

In 2002 the museum joined the Organizzazione museale regionale del Lazio (regional museum network of Lazio), and in 2003 it signed an agreement with UNICEF Italia as a child-friendly school integration centre.

The route tells the story of the book from the classical age to the first printed books: reconstructions of papyrus and parchment scrolls (volumina) and of their containers (capsae), prints, engravings, original volumes and manuscripts, wooden presses from the 17th and 19th centuries and movable-type printing presses. A scriptorium shows the mineral, animal and plant pigments used in the workshops; the equipment is fully working. The most important document is the Regesto Tiburtino, an early 12th-century parchment codex, presented as a facsimile reproduced on papyrus.

Highlights

• Facsimile of the Regesto Tiburtino, a 12th-century parchment codex
• Reconstructions of papyrus and parchment scrolls and their containers
• Wooden printing presses from the 17th and 19th centuries
• Scriptorium with mineral, animal and plant pigments
• Educational workshops on writing, printing and illumination

Permanent exhibition

• Storia del libro, dal papiro alla stampa – Reconstructions of scrolls, volumes and original manuscripts, working printing presses and a scriptorium; facsimile of the Regesto Tiburtino.

Founded

1979

Operated by

Associazione Fannius

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

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Kids & families

The writing, printing and illumination workshops are designed mainly for schools and take place by booking.

Getting there & parking

The museum is housed in the Villa d’Este complex, a UNESCO site, with the postal address Piazza Trento 1.

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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