Museo delle tradizioni musicali

Dedicated to the musical culture of the town of Arsoli and the Aniene valley, the Museum of Musical Traditions houses a major collection of instruments and sound objects of varied origin (band, pastoral, crafts and religious artefacts) as well as a complete archive of sheet music and photographic and audiovisual documents. The inhabitants of Arsoli have contributed significantly to enriching the museum's collection: standing out among the finest musical instruments on display are some donated by the Massimo family, which played a central role in the birth and development of the band tradition of Arsoli, which is still alive and well rooted in the town. The museum is located on the ground floor of the old “Granaio Massimo” and overlooks Corso Borgo San Bartolomeo, the main artery connecting the mediaeval heart of the town to its two main squares. The distribution of objects throughout the exhibition has been deliberately designed to favour the organological criterion of use. Musical instruments, preserved in modern caskets, are grouped into three categories: agro-pastoral and urban-craft tools, religious instruments and band instruments. A didactic system together with four photographic installations illustrates the construction techniques, history, repertoires and context of use of the individual musical traditions of Arsoli and more generally of the Aniene valley.