Museo Civico (Modena)

The Musei Civico is housed in the Palazzo dei Musei, along with the Galleria Estense, two other museums and the Biblioteca Estense.

This museum is one of those charming old Italian institutions where nothing seems to have changed since the time of King Umberto. It comes in two parts. First is the Museo Civico d’Arte, with a collection of medieval paintings from the city’s churches, including work by Tommaso da Modena and some by his followers; Antonio Begarelli's Madonna della Piazza and a lovely room of antique musical instruments—psalteries, cembalos, on up to Neapolitan mandolins, all looking rather sad to be locked up in museum cases.

Next comes a room of scientific instruments and early machines, and a huge collection of old Modenese crafts and industrial products—a fascinating and peculiar atticful of everything under the sun, from lace to greeting cards; the display of bridle bits takes up an entire wall.