Eco- Museum in the heart of the Pistoia mountains

Submitted by Andrea Bonfiglio on Sun, 2009-11-29 23:00

In Tuscany Pistoia Surroundings EcoTravel Nature and Outdoors

The Eco-Museum in the Pistoia Mountains is an educational way to spend a family day out. Take the opportunity to step back in time and follow one of six cultural itineraries to learn about this rural area of Tuscany.

Tuscany’s stunning landscapes and artistic treasures are known across the world. But tucked away amongst the tourist treasures of the Uffizi Gallery, the heart-stopping Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the local wine tours, spare some time to visit the Pistoiese Mountains Eco-Museum.

The museum opened in 1990 and has a mix of open air attractions, activities and displays that promote the area’s cultural heritage. There are 6 themed educational tourist trails to choose from each focusing on a different cultural tradition:

The Ice Trail (Pontepetri)
The Iron Trail (Pontepetri)
The Religious Art and Popular Faith Trail (Popiglio)
Nature Trail (Abetone)
The Everyday Life Trail (Rivoreta)
The Stone Trail (Sambuca Pistoiese)

The whole project is run by a local cooperative that has worked to restore old buildings and equipment that bring the past back to life, something that visitors really appreciate.

One restoration project which you can find on the Stone Trail is the Giamba Water Mill which dates back to 1820 and is fed by water from the local river. You can rediscover the ancient craft of charcoal or visit an educational garden on the Iron Trail, or see a restored ‘metato’, a traditional shed used for drying chestnuts.
The Eco-museum is a great family day out and a chance to learn about the customs and traditions within the Pistoia Mountains region.
Visit the website for more information about locations and opening times for the different centres: www.provincia.pistoia.it/ecomuseo