Housed in a centuries-old Franciscan convent, this Piedmontese museum holds surprises ranging from a Longobard tombstone to contemporary kinetic art.

Step through the doors of the Museo Civico Antonino Olmo in Savigliano, and you'll find yourself in one of Piedmont's oldest civic museums, where the cloistered calm of a former monastery provides the perfect setting for centuries of artistic treasures.

Founded in 1882, this institution has grown from a collection of personal mementos into a cultural repository that tells stories reaching far beyond this historic town's borders, thanks to generous donations from local nobility and artists' families.

From Violin Strings to Stargazing

The museum began with an unlikely foundation: the will of Camilla Sivori, a celebrated violinist who bequeathed her personal memorabilia to Savigliano in 1882. When astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli, another distinguished native son, passed away, his legacy joined Sivori's, transforming the collection into a proper civic museum.

For over four decades, teacher and scholar Antonino Olmo (1902-1988) guided the institution as honorary director, eventually lending his name to the museum. The move to its current home in the former Franciscan convent came in 1969, providing the space needed for the remarkable Calandra plaster cast collection, donated by sculptor Davide Calandra's daughter Elena in 1973.

Treasures Across the Ages

The museum's ground floor houses archaeological wonders, including the tombstone of the Longobard priest Gudiris, alongside the Gipsoteca Davide Calandra, a remarkable collection featuring plaster casts, sketches, and models, including the cast of the famous frieze from Rome's Montecitorio chamber.

Upstairs, the Pensa di Marsaglia-Fruttero di Costigliole donation shines with its Flemish triptych depicting the Stories of Job and a powerful Crucifixion by Tanzio da Varallo. The picture gallery showcases 17th-century works by Savigliano school artists like G.A. Molineri and I. Claret, while the Attilio Bonino collection captures Piedmontese art from the 19th and 20th centuries.

A Monastery's Artistic Soul

What sets this museum apart is its architectural embrace. The Franciscan convent, built between the late 1500s and early 1600s, features 32 frescoed lunettes from the early 1700s depicting scenes from Franciscan history that line the corridors where friars once walked.

The museum's range is equally distinctive, spanning from prehistoric artifacts to 1960s and 70s programmed and experimental art. The reconstructed Antica Farmacia Ospedaliera (Old Hospital Pharmacy) from Savigliano's Santissima Annunziata Hospital offers a glimpse into historical medical practice, while a relief map of the city from the 1800s provides urban perspective across time.

Museo Civico Antonino Olmo e Gipsoteca Davide Calandra Highlights & Tips

• Gipsoteca Davide Calandra The plaster cast gallery featuring sculptor Davide Calandra's works, including the impressive cast of the Montecitorio frieze from Rome's Chamber of Deputies
• Flemish Triptych of Job A stunning Flemish triptych depicting the Stories of Job, part of the Pensa di Marsaglia donation
• Frescoed Franciscan Lunettes 32 early 18th-century frescoed lunettes depicting Franciscan history line the monastery corridors
• Longobard Tombstone The ancient tombstone of Gudiris, a Longobard priest, represents one of the museum's oldest archaeological treasures
• Antica Farmacia Ospedaliera A reconstructed historic hospital pharmacy with original furnishings and pharmaceutical equipment
• Explore the Convent Architecture Take time to appreciate the Franciscan convent building itself, with its harmonious cloisters and corridors that date to the late 16th century
• Don't Miss Both Floors The museum spans two floors with distinct collections - archaeological and sculpture downstairs, paintings and decorative arts upstairs
• Visit the Adjacent Church The Church of San Francesco, built between 1670 and the early 1700s, stands adjacent to the museum and complements your visit

The Museo Civico Antonino Olmo proves that great cultural institutions need not reside in major metropolitan centers. Within these former monastery walls, Savigliano has created a space where local pride intersects with broader artistic movements, where ancient artifacts dialogue with contemporary experiments.\n\nWhether you're drawn to medieval tombstones, Baroque masterpieces, or 20th-century innovation, this museum offers unexpected encounters at every turn. It's a place that rewards curiosity and reminds us that cultural treasures flourish in communities that value and preserve their heritage.