Museo Etnografico Giuseppe Pitrè

A fascinating ethnographical and cultural museum in a Palermo city park

This ethnographic museum details daily Sicilian life in the 18th and 19th centuries. The detailed explanation placards are unfortunately only in Italian.

They have loads of peasant costumes, religious ex votos, excellent ceramics, household and farm tools, and magic talismans that include a hen's egg stuck with 75 pins—hide this on the roof of someone you want done in; when the egg eventually breaks, the victim dies.

The museum's highlight though—several traditional colorfully painted Sicilian carts—has been "temporarily closed" for some time.

The rest of Villa Favorita park

The museum resides in the early–19th century Villa Favorita park*, housed in an outbuilding of the Palazzina Cinese, an elaborate example of 18th century Palermo's curious fascination with the Asian world. It's been closed for years, falling to disrepair behind its sheath of scaffolding, but rumor has it restoration may soon finally be at an end.

Latest news was that by the end of summer or early fall 2012, it would open again: Tues–Sat 9am–5:30pm, Sun 9am–1:30pm. Call tel. +39-091-707-1317 or +39-091-707-1411 for details.

* Note: The museum tends to close semi-regularly for renovations, so give them a call before making the trek out here

 

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