The Museum of the Lombardy Apennines in Romagnese: a plunge into the rural life of the Oltrepò Pavese

In the picturesque mountain village of Romagnese, nestled between the slopes of theUpper Tidone Valley, there is a museum that is much more than a collection of objects: it is a journey into the everyday life of farmers and artisans of the families of the Oltrepò Pavese. The Museum of the Lombardy Apennines of the 4 Provinces (also known as the Museum of Rural Art and Agricultural Tools) is housed in a place steeped in history: the Dal Verme Castle Tower, today the seat of the municipality.

Cover images taken from the Alta Val Trebbia website

An ethnographic museum in the heart of a castle

The museum is housed in the castle of Jacopo Dal Verme, a famous medieval leader who left a deep impression on the area. It is accessed by climbing the ancient municipal staircase, passing through a wrought-iron door, and then along a stone staircase that leads to the museum rooms.

Visitors are greeted by an intimate, silent ambience steeped in memory. The rooms tell the story of daily life in the houses and fields of the past, thanks to a collection made up of spontaneous donations from families in the village. Every object, tool or implement speaks of the toil and ingenuity of the people of the Lombardy Apennines.

Rural life, ancient crafts and community memories

The museum tour is divided by arts and crafts, and opens with a faithful reconstruction of a rural kitchen: a domestic corner that takes you back in time. A little further on you will encounter:

• the barber’s shop
• sewing machines and irons
• spinning tools
• the carpenter‘s corner
• the famous knife-grinder’s bicycle
• numerous agricultural and domestic tools

Each piece on display bears witness to ancient knowledge, to gestures handed down from generation to generation, in a rural economy of self-production and community.

Photographic exhibitions and visual memory

A wooden staircase leads to the central mezzanine, where temporary photographic exhibitions dedicated to local traditions and the daily life of the inhabitants of the Val Tidone are held each year. Images that tell of festivals, work in the fields, family moments and glimpses of an area that stands the test of time.

The museum is thus configured not only as a place of memory, but also as a centre of cultural enhancement and collective identity.

Useful information for the visit

• Name: Museum of the Lombardy Apennines of the 4 Provinces
• Address: Piazza Castello 1, 27050 Romagnese (PV)
• Location: inside the Tower of Dal Verme Castle, seat of the municipality
• Hours: check with the municipality for updated openings or visits by appointment
• Accessibility: access to the museum includes stairs and a wooden staircase; there is no sign of disabled accessibility
• Directions: Romagnese can be reached from Varzi or Zavattarello following the SP201. Parking available near the town centre.