Museum of Agriculture and Rural Life

Museo dell'Agricoltura e del Mondo Rurale

Located inside the historic Rocca Estense - one of the most fascinating fortress-residences in Emilia - the Museum of Agriculture and Rural Life offers an evocative journey into the heart of peasant life in the middle Reggio plain.

Opened in 1968 and refurbished in 1994, the museum houses a rich collection of artefacts, tools and evidence of the local agricultural and artisan culture.

The exhibition is divided into four main sections: the local area and the farming world, featuring tools for working in the fields and hemp cultivation; the processing areas, dedicated to spinning, weaving, woodworking, and the production of flour, cheese and meat; and the rural dwelling, which faithfully recreates the domestic life of farming families.

Through objects, documents, photographs and oral accounts, the museum recounts the human experience of a society that shaped the Reggio Emilia plain right up until the advent of agricultural mechanisation.
In addition to its collections, the museum offers advanced cultural services such as an archive, library, photo library, sound archive and video library.
Recognised as a ‘Museo di Qualità’ by the Institute for Cultural Heritage of the Emilia-Romagna Region, it serves as a key reference point for anyone wishing to discover the history and art of rural labour.