FIRST FLOOR
Tomàs Maldonado's invitation to take spectacles and other optical instruments seriously, highlighting their importance in the historical and social development of the 19th century, was the starting point for the creation of the Museum's first exhibition. The splendid collections of spectacles, cases, optical instruments, binoculars and telescopes have made it possible to structure an exciting story about everything that lenses, in their various uses, have represented for mankind, at least since the Middle Ages.
SECOND FLOOR
The second route documents the peculiarities of the development of the industrial eye wear district in the mountainous province of Belluno, starting from the end of the 19th century.
The silhouette of a seller of scissors, spectacles and other merchandise, and the call of the Cadore hawkers to buy bone combs, introduce the visitor to the historical and cultural context in which the first optical workshop in Calalzo di Cadore was born.
GUIDED TOURS
The cost is € 50.00 per visit and the duration is approximately 50 minutes.
It is always advisable to book a few days in advance to facilitate organization.
A tour service is also available in English, German, French and Spanish.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Every year the museum offers a series of educational activities and routes for schools of all levels, from pre-school to secondary school.
LIBRARY
The Museum has a small specialized library of about 400 volumes, available for consultation only, by prior arrangement during the Museum's opening hours. There are texts on optics, industry, design, fashion, history, all related to the subject of spectacles, published from the 17th century to the present day.
THE MUSEUM AND THE COMPANIES
The Museum makes its spaces available to companies and individuals who request them, for meetings, conferences, presentations, aperitifs, dinners or buffets.
To agree on costs, methods and times, please contact the secretary.
BIRTHDAY AT THE MUSEUM
The museum makes its staff and its spaces available for birthday parties: the themes are varied because the museum can offer many ideas.
The proposed activities are borrowed from those for schools, which are adapted for the occasion.
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
Night at the Museum is always an exciting experience for all children, aged 7 to 12. Arrival at the Museum in the evening. We then start with the activities, which are adapted from those already structured for teaching with schools, but there can also be themed evenings, with different topics. We continue until late in the evening, when we go upstairs to the large lens-shaped room to prepare the sleeping area: each person brings his or her own sleeping bag, pillow, pajamas and everything else needed to spend the night. In the morning, everyone has breakfast together until their parents arrive.
Every year the night at the museum is organized three or four times: contact us directly if you want to know when the next one will be!
