The Museum of the Ancient Grancia and of Olive Oil was established as part of a museum system project initiated by the Provincial Administration of Siena and has been coordinated by the Musei Senesi Foundation since 2003. The foundation continues to bring together over forty museums in the Siena region. In particular, the museum in Serre di Rapolano is classified among the "museums of memory," which recount the history and traditions of the area through demoethnoanthropological collections.

 

Demoethnoanthropological museums are conceived as communicative spaces, where what is learned inside should be further explored and understood outside. Visitors to this type of museum are encouraged to participate emotionally, to imagine themselves in a different space and time from their current reality, aided by technological and multimedia support.

 

The Museum of the Ancient Grancia and of Olive Oil serves as a gateway between the agricultural past and the present for visitors, allowing the appreciation of the territory and its intangible assets. These include manifestations or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed down to future generations, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices related to nature and the universe, or traditional craftsmanship. This heritage represents the genius loci (spirit of the place) and the community, but at the same time, due to its social value, it can be interpreted universally, confirming the value of cultural diversity.

 

Therefore, the Museum of the Ancient Grancia and of Olive Oil was established with the intention of preserving, interpreting, and transmitting to future generations the characteristic material and symbolic elements of the sharecropping phenomenon. Over time, it has become a place of symbolic value and central importance for the community of Serre di Rapolano.

 

The museum is spread across multiple floors, but the exhibition path is structured into two distinct sections. The first section is dedicated to the olive tree, while the second focuses on historical sources related to the Grange of Serre di Rapolano and the Sienese Hospital. Specifically, the lower floor houses the spaces of the old olive mill, dedicated to the process of producing oil. On the third floor, a large area known as the "Sala del Grancere" or "Sala del Camino" was created for conferences, book presentations, and public debates. It is named after the exquisite Baroque-style stone fireplace commissioned by Rector Agostino Chigi in 1629.

 

Currently, the museum hosts the exhibition "Fervet Opvs," curated by Luciano Brogi and Enza Billi. Inaugurated on July 30, 2021, and occupying most of the exhibition spaces in the Museum of the Grange, the exhibition aims to reconstruct the lives of workers in the travertine quarries from the early 20th century until the last decades of the century. The topics covered in the exhibition range from heated issues like labor safety union struggles to the portrayal of life in the quarries, including transportation, the canteen, and professional training provided by the school of stonemasons.

 

 

Opening hours:

From May 1st to October 31st: Friday 4 PM - 7 PM. Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays 10 AM - 1 PM, 3 PM - 7 PM.

From November 1st to April 30th: Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays 10 AM - 1 PM, 2 PM - 6 PM.