The Multimedia Museum of Land Reclamation
Boretto
Timetable
June – October
Saturday afternoon
By appointment only
Sunday
10.00 am – 12.00 pm
2.30 pm – 6.30 pm
School groups
booking recommended.
Museo Multimediale della Bonifica
In the heart of Boretto, just steps from the River Po, the historic Intake Sluice (Chiavica di Presa Irrigua) houses the Multimedia Museum of Land Reclamation (Museo Multimediale della Bonifica).
This immersive space is dedicated to exploring the complex and fascinating system that has shaped the landscape of the plains.
A evocative 20-minute multimedia performance illustrates the vital importance of land reclamation and its essential role in flood safety, irrigation, agriculture, and protecting the region from hydrogeological risk.
At the centre of the hall, a vast 9-square-metre scale model guides visitors through a narrative woven with sounds, lights, and imagery.
The journey unfolds across various themes - water, the mechanics of land reclamation, cultivated nature, human labour, and the urban environment - culminating in a study of the territory managed by the Consorzio di Bonifica dell’Emilia Centrale through both historical and contemporary maps.
The Boretto Sluice Gate (Chiavica)
A visit also offers the opportunity to discover one of the most distinctive examples of land reclamation architecture.
Built in the late 1920s alongside its nearby twin structure, the Boretto Intake Sluice stands out for its monumental and solemn architecture.
Standing nearly 20 metres high, the structure rises dramatically from the surrounding agricultural landscape and floodplain, which is otherwise defined by the extraordinary flatness of the plains and the presence of the great river.
The Land Reclamation Landscape
Water, cultivated fields, farmhouses, mills, hydraulic structures, and daily human toil have combined over the centuries to create a unique landscape.
This is a territory in constant evolution, where nature and human endeavour meet, creating a heritage rich in history, culture, and identity.
The Consorzio di Bonifica dell’Emilia Centrale spans Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy, covering the provinces of Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Mantua.
Exploring this area means discovering a true “invisible asset”: a network of works, canals, and routes recounting the age-old relationship between humanity and water.
“The Land Reclamation Landscape” Itinerary
Promoted by the Fondazione Telecom Italia alongside the Consorzio di Bonifica dell’Emilia Centrale, this itinerary invites visitors to explore this heritage through dedicated routes celebrating nature, rural architecture, hydraulic engineering, and historic town centres.
The itinerary encompasses numerous towns across the Emilia and Lombardy regions, including Brescello, Gualtieri, Guastalla, Novellara, Reggiolo, Cadelbosco di Sopra, Campagnola Emilia, Rolo, Novi di Modena, Rio Saliceto, Fabbrico, Carpi, Moglia, San Benedetto Po, Quistello, and Pegognaga.
A journey to be experienced through maps, images, directions, audio content, and digital applications, designed to deepen understanding of these sites and guide visitors toward their unique features.
The routes are flat and safe, predominantly paved, and ideal to explore by bicycle, though also easily navigable by car or motorcycle.
Dedicated roadside signage accompanies visitors as they discover a region where landscape, history, and human ingenuity are strikingly intertwined.
