Varese, land of experiences

M.I.L.S. - Museo delle industrie e del lavoro Saronnese

M.I.L.S. - The Saronnese Museum of Industries and Labor

The Saronnese Museum of Industries and Labor - MILS houses a rich collection of products and machinery from all the most important companies that operated in the Saronno area.

The time span is that from the second half of the nineteenth century to the economic boom of the 1960s; some of the most significant episodes in the history of manufacturing in Lombardy and beyond developed in the Saronno area during this period.

The birth of the museum can be traced back to the temporary exhibition held in 1996. A series of artifacts collected and restored by associations of former employees of Saronnese companies were presented for the occasion, which we can consider the first nucleus of future collections. In a historic shed made available by Ferrovie Nord Milano, the first sections of the museum were inaugurated on October 25, 1998, with artifacts received as gifts or given on loan for use. Thanks to the allocation of additional space in the 2000s, the museum reaches an area of 2,200 square meters, 800 of which are covered, and the holdings are enriched with new and valuable machinery.

In addition to the exhibition part, the M.I.L.S. counts on a Museum Library where books, magazines, documents, and reports related to the social, economic and cultural life of the Saronnese area and beyond are preserved. This documentation is a valuable source of information for research and the preparation of university theses and can be consulted locally during the Museum's opening hours or by borrowing it.

INFO

ADDRESS: Via Don Griffanti, 6 - 21047 Saronno (VA)

The Saronnese Museum of Industries and Labor (MILS) is a 6-minute walk from Saronno FNM station.

OPENING HOURS: