Amleto and Donato Sartori museum of theatrical masks, Abano Terme
A museum dedicated to theatrical masks and part of a network of museums which promote and encourage culture, the arts and performance.
A standard bearer for lovers of bygone theatre (and other forms) around the world, it is a modern, dynamic, experimental museum, one which is unique in the world, with materials to see and to use, open to youngsters who want to learn about the art of masks, as well as academics looking to study this subject.
Museum of River Navigation in Battaglia Terme
A fascinating museum, closely linked to the history of Battaglia Terme, also known as the museum of the boatmen of Battaglia Terme.
The town itself is bordered on the west side by the Euganean Hills and to the east by a network of waterways leading to the sea. The canal which takes the name of the town was built by Padua in the 13th century.
Everything in Battaglia has always been shaped by water: for centuries, it was at the centre of the dense network of trade and commerce which made it an important river port, later the canal was used by large flat-bottomed boats laden with stone and grain destined for the ports of Venice and the lagoon.Water also powered the mills, sawmills, machinery and the presses of the paper mills, making Battaglia an important and dynamic artisan centre.
The story of these centuries of industry is told at the civic museum of river navigation. It is a unique museum of its kind, with a collection that includes stories, materials and memories of people’s lives through which we can rediscover traditions, practices and activities of the recent past which should never be forgotten.
Museum of the air in Due Carrare
Best known for the flight of the poet Gabriele d'Annunzio, the Museum of flight is housed in two wings of the stately, rural, Castle San Pelagio.
The museum covers the main stages in the of evolution flight, telling the story of man’s discovery of the skies and of space.
The old barns, cellars and residential rooms of the Zaborra family are today filled with exhibitions about legendary flights, visionary scientists, hot air balloons and dirigibles, aeroplanes, seaplanes and spacecraft.
A thrilling journey for young and old alike!
Butterfly Arc, House of Butterflies in Montegrotto Terme
The first house of butterflies in Italy and one of the first in the world. It features a trail through the rainforests of the Amazon, Africa and Asia, a captivating place with its colours, sounds and hundreds of free-flying butterflies. And there are so many other magnificent animals: from bearded dragons to large tropical insects.
Butterfly Arc offers fantastic interactive workshops which are open to everyone, where you can discover all the secrets of our four, six and two-legged friends, all making for an unforgettable interactive experience!
Museum of spa tourism and the region
Established in the centre of Montegrotto Terme, as its name suggests it has two core focuses: spa tourism, which has a tradition dating back more than a thousand years in the Euganean area, and the region itself, because the museum highlights some of the distinctive aspect of our land.
Within the museum, you can find extraordinary and unique finds uncovered in the Montegrotto Terme archaeological sites, which tell the story of a distant past and remarkable recent events.
Very different from a traditional archaeological museum, the museum of spa tourism in the region embraces modernity and freshness, creating a stimulating and mysterious place which will captivate any visitor. It is interactive, immersive and customisable, for an authentic all-round experience.
The National Museum of Este - the Este archaeological museum
This museum is the gateway to a far-off and little known world, the world of the ancient Veneto people, which belongs to our community and allows us to rediscover our origins.It houses more than 65,000 archaeological exhibits and has acquired 7,400 drawings relating to archaeological finds, catalogue and restoration records.
The photo archive comprises around 37,600 items. The museum also includes a specialist library housing around 4,400 works.
The museum holds archaeological finds which document ancient Veneto culture, recounting life in this region during the first millennium A.D. These exhibits show how an ancient civilisation of Italian people flourished through artisan crafts and trading.
The Roman section describes the transformation of the city of Ateste (now Este) between the first and second centuries A.D., whilst there is also a small section devoted to mediaeval, renaissance and modern ceramics.
Villa Bassi - Rathgeb
A typical Veneto villa in the Palladian style from the 1500s, with many frescoes and the permanent collection of the Bassi Rathgeb family, whose summer residence this was, it is now the civic museum of Abano Terme.
The collection of the Bassi Rathgeb family includes more than 400 items, including paintings (the art gallery features works from 1200 to 1800), furniture, illuminated manuscripts and etchings. These days, it also hosts temporary exhibitions and activities dedicated to children and families.
The Euganean Hills literary park
Over the centuries, the parks of the Euganean Hills have been visited by many important writers who have been inspired by these places for their novels, poems and stories.The idea of building on the trading tradition of this area through culture has been embraced as a way of creating and integrating a significant branch of tourism, cultural tourism, with other important attractions such as the spas and the countryside.
The Petrarach and Euganean Hills Literary Park was set up 2012.The first step in creating the park was to identify some places of literary significance where plaques could be placed around monuments, along footpaths, in panoramic view points and in general in places described by the many poets and writers.
The park is currently training tourist guides to provide specialist tours and also offers guided visits and literary-themed bike rides.
We know that it can be difficult to decide where to visit but you can be certain that if you decide to come to Abano and Montegrotto Terme, you will be delighted, especially if you also add in some of our fascinating museums!
