Parco Museo Jalari
Open-air park-museum between the Peloritani and the Tindari bay, with 42 ethnographic workshops and thousands of stone sculptures by Mariano Pietrini.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Parco Museo Jalari was born at the end of the 1970s from the dream of Mariano Pietrini (1945–2017), teacher, accountant, artist and researcher of Sicilian culture, and of the Pietrini and Giorgianni families. In 1977 Pietrini and his brothers bought the first plots of land on the hills between the Peloritani and the Tindari bay, with the idea of saving the memory of the trades and rural life that were disappearing.
Over the years he gathered around 15,000 objects, catalogued with the Soprintendenza ai Beni culturali of Messina, which are now displayed in the park’s stone craft workshops, reconstructed with the tools arranged as they originally were: the blacksmith, the carpenter, the apothecary, the farrier, the barber and many others. Alongside the ethnographic collection, Pietrini carved thousands of stone works, placed along thematic avenues that lead the visitor from the Piazza degli Incontri (Square of Encounters) to the Viale della Confusione (Avenue of Confusion), through reflection, the rediscovery of values, pain, love and creativity, and on to the Viale dei Sogni (Avenue of Dreams).
The name Jalari has always belonged to the locality and comes from Arabic, meaning “glittering stone”. The complex, now managed by the Shara Società Agricola, also includes an agritourism farm with a bistro, and hosts events, exhibitions and educational activities.
Highlights
- Over 15,000 ethnographic objects in the craft workshops
- More than 3,000 stone sculptures by Mariano Pietrini
- Thematic avenues from Confusion to Dreams
- The Great Stone Book on the Avenue of Time
- Terrace on Infinity with a view of the landscape
Permanent exhibitions
- Botteghe etnografiche – Around 15,000 objects of Sicilian craft and rural life, displayed in stone workshops reconstructed along the route.
- Percorsi e sculture – Thematic avenues and squares with over 3,000 stone sculptures by Mariano Pietrini.
- Operated by
- Shara Società Agricola srl
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 12 · Free admission for children up to 12. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with disabilities. |
| Groups (30+ people) | –Special rate for groups of at least 30 people, with admission and guide in Italian; booking and payment at least 10 days in advance. |
Special rates also for schools (minimum 25 people, admission and guide in Italian, prepaid booking at least 10 days in advance), on request.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Wheelchair access may be difficult because of the uphill paths and uneven surfaces typical of the natural setting.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Restaurant
Agritourism farm and bistro serving traditional Sicilian cuisine on site.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Weddings / ceremonies
The park hosts ceremonies and weddings; there is a conference room.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours in Italian, English, French and Spanish, with mandatory booking at least one week in advance through the secretariat (tel. 090 974 6245; open Tuesday to Saturday 9:30–12:30). |
