The Museum is located within the Bourbon Complex of the Royal Boarding School of Santa Maria delle Grazie. A historically and architecturally valuable complex situated in the very historic center, culminating in the beautiful church, of Vanvitellian school, of Santa Maria delle Grazie on the elongated Piazza Parrocchia, a wide open space along the millenary Via Appia. The exhibition is set inside a hall, called the Bourbon Hall, of about 500 sqm and also houses a space for conferences and the Permanent Municipal Nativity Scene; it also includes an outdoor garden for temporary open-air exhibitions and artistic and cultural performances. There are no architectural barriers and all spaces are accessible and visitable. The Museum received in January 2009 recognition from the Museums Sector of the Campania Region as a Museum of Regional Interest. The current layout divides the exhibition area into settings representing various life contexts from the early 20th century to the mid-century, referring to the society and culture of the time present in the territory, i.e., the original rural society and culture of the whole area. The successive thematic areas are: the fields – featuring tools and utensils related to field work and the processing of agricultural products; prominently featured in this area are a large mangano (macerator, a tool used to smooth the earth) and two macennole (wooden hinged tools for hemp breaking); the street – displaying original tools related to craftsmanship and artisan workshops, such as carpenter, blacksmith, cooper …; the courtyard – proudly presenting a simplified representation of a well and related tools, such as the vinnolo (bindolo, a rotating tool for drawing water from the well) and the Cato (a cylindrical container made of wood or metal suspended from the vinnolo that brought water to the surface from the well to irrigate fields or water animals). This same area contains all elements found in a rural courtyard, supporting and complementing field activities; the home – the reconstruction of a peasant house, living spaces, furnishings and utensils mainly related to the kitchen and bedroom. As part of the Museum of Rural Life exhibition and integral to it, a permanent Nativity Scene is set up that covers an overall area of about 20 sqm, occupying an entire bay of the hall, inaugurated in Christmas 2003.
Information about Museum of Rural Life in San Nicola La Strada
Piazza Municipio, 14
81020 San Nicola la Strada (Caserta)
0823450333
urp@comune.sannicolalastrada.ce.it
https://www.comune.sannicolalastrada.ce.it
Source: MIBACT
