'MUSES' MUSEUM

Palazzo Taffini is an important building of the seventeenth century wanted by the Turin family Taffini as a noble residence. The family, politically and strategically linked to the Savoia court, gave an enormous cultural contribution to the development of the town. The palace became in fact a fundamental place of representation and reception of distinguished people who brought prestige to the Saviglianese court; its wonderful baroque rooms contain frescoes and decorations that testify to the importance of this residence.

The palace was also the home of flowers, perfumed herbs and essences, and for this reason it has now become the seat of the Muses project, a techno-sensorial museum that takes the visitor on a journey through the perfumery arts, essences and the great tradition of Piedmontese aromatic herbs.

Along the exhibition route, video installations, site-specific works by contemporary international artists, period instruments that have innovated production techniques, reveal the secrets of the perfumery art in the various eras; from Byzantium to Venice following the routes of essential oils and spices; the great ladies of the Italian Renaissance, such as Caterina Sforza, Isabella d'Este and Caterina de' Medici, who were able to spread the pleasure of essences, becoming themselves icons of their times; from Piedmont to the rest of Europe with the fascinating saga of Acque di colonia, the most sold perfume in the world and created by a Piedmontese.

The museum also offers a fascinating garden of the senses which, through plants, aromatic herbs, flowers, sounds and scents, stimulates the senses and welcomes the visitor right into the palace's courtyard. The laboratory, on the other hand, equipped with 18 stations, allows the visitor to actively participate in the creation of a perfume, learning the secrets of essences and application techniques, expertly guided by an expert Master perfumer.

For more information, click here.