A hidden gem, MuSa or Museo della Salumeria Villani is nestled in the flatlands surrounding Modena, a medieval town rendered famous by three star Michelin chef Massimo Bottura, Aziz Ansari – who in the Netlix series came to town to learn pasta making by hand, and luxury car producers that make us all wish we were rich and famous.

The MuSa is the first museum in Italy dedicated to the production and history of charcuterie, an art that flourished in the middle ages and the renaissance period in the areas of Modena and Bologna.

Owned by Villani Salumi, a family company and one of Emilia-Romagna’s longest standing charcuterie makers and top exporter, the Museum rests alongside the company’s factory where salami, cooked ham, and Emilian specialties are produced. Only a few steps away from the main square of Castelnuovo Rangone, a quaint town (just 8km from the Ferrari Museum) where church bells still signal the time for lunch, MuSa is in a world of its own.

It’s a place where modernity and history harmoniously coexist and offers the visitor a comprehensive experience of discovery of historical craftsmanship, learning of current production methods, and delight in tasting a variety of charcuterie among prosciutto crudo, cooked ham, mortadella, and salami, all accompanied by Lambrusco Grasparossa from the nearby hills of Castelvetro.

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  MuSa | Ph. Museo della Salumeria

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  MuSa | Ph. Museo della Salumeria

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  MuSa | Ph. Museo della Salumeria

Each visitor is welcomed by a multilingual guide who begins the tour by explaining the composition of spices and herbs of various recipes, cut of meats used, and different professions employed in charcuterie making, while the multimedia area illustrates each phase of the production process.
The guide’s story is enriched with historical references, anecdotes, antique machinery, and images.
The charcuterie tasting at the end of the tour will leave you with a delightful memory of a truly Emilian experience!

Info: museodellasalumeria.it