Toscolano Maderno’s Paper Museum offers a fascinating journey right to the beating heart of the history of paper making, an ancient art that has had profound effects on the cultural and economic development of the region. Situated in the charming Valle delle Cartiere - the valley of paper mills - the museum is inside the old paper mill of Maina Inferiore, a historic building originally dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

Over the centuries, the Maina Inferiore paper mill has undergone many transformations. From the 19th-century interventions, needed to modernize the systems with the introduction of continuing machines and Hollander beaters, to the construction - post 1905 - of the smokestack, over 33 metres tall and which today stands like a solitary relic of the valley's industrial past. Paper continued to be made here until 1962, the year in which the paper making era came to an end in Valle delle Cartiere.

The site was recovered in 2005 and completed in 2007, transforming this space into a museum, where the industrial past lives alongside the cultural present. The Paper Museum is not limited to preserving the historic memory of paper making, it is also a dynamic centre for cultural activities, ranging from temporary shows and exhibitions to teaching workshop, drawing not only scholars to the museum but also families and schoolchildren.

The exhibition route in the museum illustrates the history of paper over the centuries, starting with the original 16th century core of the factory. Visitors can admire machinery and equipment used to make paper through to the 19th century, as well as archaeological finds and a collection of books printed by Alessandro Paganini in the 16th century. Practical demonstrations offer visitors hands-on experience of the ancient art of paper making, making this an interactive, engaging experience.

As well as being a museum hub, the Paper Museum is a lively exhibition space that regularly hosts cultural events and shows, creating a bridge between the industrial past and its modern artistic and cultural expressions. This means the museum is not only a place in which to preserve cultural heritage, but also an important and active cultural centre on the contemporary panorama.

A visit to the museum also offers opportunities to relax in the bar with garden, where the sound of the water that drives the old mill accompanies visitors after their tour of the museum. With its inclusive, interactive approach, the Paper Museum is a guardian and promoter of a lively, shared culture, while highlighting the unbreakable bond between past, present and future in the Valle delle Cartiere.

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