Discover Malo: Museums, Masks and Crafts

Malo can be discovered through several specific themes related to culture and craftsmanship. The focus is on collections of prints, silk and bricks, as well as the history of a Venetian mask workshop that was relocated entirely to Malo. Other highlights include the old parish church of Chiesa di Santa Libera, guided tours offered by an educational farm, and trails for hiking and cycling in the area around Molina di Malo. These varied themes provide a basis for choosing the focus of your trip.

Prints, Silk and Bricks

The Museo Casabianca is a permanent museum of graphic works by contemporary artists from the 1960s to the 1990s. More than 1,200 works by 700 artists are on display. The museum’s activities date back to 1978. This brings together a collection spanning a defined period and a museum with a history of its own, going back to 1978—two different perspectives on the history of the institution and its collection.

The Museo dell’Arte Serica e Laterizia takes a different approach. Its silk section covers mulberry cultivation, silkworm breeding and silk reeling. The brick section contains artefacts documenting the use of clay since the Neolithic period. Thus, within the same museum, topics related to silk processing sit alongside artefacts about the history of clay as a material. This offers a different perspective from the prints at the Museo Casabianca: here the focus is on materials and stages of production, while there it is on works by artists from several decades.

Mondonovo: Masks and Workshop History

The historic Venetian Mondonovo workshop for papier-mâché masks was relocated entirely to Malo and converted into a museum workshop. The history of the Museo Mondonovo Maschere is therefore also the story of a workshop’s relocation and of a craft associated with papier-mâché masks.

From 25 September 2011, the Museo Mondonovo Maschere made 250 works, 500 moulds, a library and archive collection, as well as tools, antique objects and furniture available to the public. The collection therefore includes not only works and moulds, but also library and archive holdings, along with objects related to work and furnishings.

Workshops on learning the art of papier-mâché are held regularly. Check the current workshop dates before visiting.

Church and Art in Santa Libera

Chiesa di Santa Libera is Malo’s old parish church; its fabric was renovated between 1721 and 1897. The church houses a stone Madonna and Child created by the workshop of Bernardino and Tommaso del Pedemuro. The building’s history and workshop art offer two different points of interest: the period of renovation concerns the church as a building, while the Madonna is a specific work of art by a named workshop.

Tours and Trails near Molina di Malo

Fattoria La Greppia offers guided tours as part of its educational farm programme. Its farm shop sells its own agri-yoghurts and agri-desserts. Alongside the museum themes, visitors can therefore choose an agricultural learning experience and farm-made products; both differ from exploring collections, architectural history or mask-making.

In the area around Molina di Malo, trails along a river are suitable for hiking and cycling. These trails offer a different focus from the cultural attractions: the emphasis is on travelling along the river, on foot or by bike. Check trail conditions before setting off so that your plans suit the conditions on your chosen route.

Discover more destinations: Solagna, Romano D'ezzelino, Costabissara, Pove Del Grappa, Vo, Schiavon, Castana, Tonezza Del Cimone

For the broader travel overview: Vicenza.