Museo della Bilancia in Campogalliano (Museum of scales and balances)
Theme ART AND CULTURE

Museo della Bilancia in Campogalliano (Museum of scales and balances)

The museum is divided into several sections

- Labyrinth of Phenomena: here you can weigh yourself and see your own weight not only on here earth but also, simulating the conditions of gravity, on the Moon and Jupiter. There are interactive computers that teach you about even-beam balances, dynamometers and inertial scales. You can learn the function of the even-beam balances by using an analytical scale of the 1950's with the calibration and double weight method.

- The gallery of trades and professions: this is a collection of weighing instruments used in silk-mills and in ironmonger. The part dedicated to silk-mills displays scales used in weighing cocoons and to determine the sex of the chrysalis inside, wool scales and scales used to determine the humidity in the wool itself; there are also titration scales used to determine the thickness of the yarn. For ironmonger there are workbenches and scales typical of the XIX century hardware store. In the background there are drawings of items and tools sold in hardware stores at the beginning of the XX century.

- Course of history: this section provides a chronological display of a series of measurement instruments that run from the simple medieval wood-and-string balance to the load cells for electronic scales. Among the most curious pieces are a calliper for the measurement of shoe soles, a rod for measuring horses at the withers, a majestic scale to weigh ingots, a pen-shaped scale, a pendulum scale for weighing eggs and a pan scale for weighing live fish during fishing competitions.

- Innovations and industry display: this section shows the latest developments in the field of weighing.

- Gallery of weighbridges and large lever scales: this is mostly dedicated to scales used in agriculture. Among the most curious pieces are the large lever scales used to weight forms of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, barrels or salt, wooden weighbridges and a series of bathroom scales and baby's scales.

Opening hours

The Museum of scales and balances is open Saturady, Sunday and Public Holiday from 10.00 - 12.30 - 15.30 - 19.00. Reservation is required from Monday to Friday, sending an email to didattica@museodellabilancia.it. It will be necessary to indicate the number of visitors, names and a phone number for each participant.

Tickets and admission

  • full rate: € 5.00
  • concessions: € 2.50 (adults over 60 / children and teens from 7 to 18 / university students with ID / guests of Campogalliano citizens / various cardholders)
  • family ticket: € 5.00 (parents and children)
  • school groups (with guided tour): € 3.00
  • groups from 10 to 60 people: € 2.50
  • groups over 60 people: € 1.25
  • free entry:
    children from 0 to 6 y / disabled citizens / cyclists / everyone on Saturday morning / anyone showing a ticket given by one of the cooperating restaurants on Saturday afternoons / initiatives of I giorni della Bilancia / evenings during the July fair / 21st October (the anniversary of the museum) / Liberation Day / Republic Day / teachers preparing a school visit / week-ends on the Week of culture and technology / week-ends on the Week of culture / week-ends during the European Heritage Days / families during the International Day of Families / journalists / ICOM cardholder.

To know before you go

Guided tours for individuals and groups must be booked ahead.