Museum of the Carnival Mask of Castelnovo di Sotto, Reggio Emilia

The “Museum of the Carnival Mask” is a museum primarily educational in nature that documents the tradition of the Carnival of Castelnovo di Sotto, Reggio Emilia, through the historical evolution of the carnival mask and the processes required for its creation, crafting, and production.

The main collection of the museum consists of an exceptional array of masks, fabric models, plaster models, molds, and materials for molding purchased by the City Administration in 1997, to which was added the collection of masks donated to the Municipality by collector Eugenio Gabrielli in 2002.

This is a unique heritage made up of 222 pieces, displayed according to an order that reflects the various processing stages and the different techniques developed by the Guatteri masters.

Some rooms in the museum are dedicated to this family, originally from Reggio Emilia, which reconstruct the history of the Mask Factory, founded in 1810 by Prospero Guatteri and active until 1933, and the productive activity of these artists, allowing for the recovery and enhancement of the artisanal tradition of this territory. The museum setup is accompanied by illustrated panels guiding visitors through the history and meaning of the ancient Carnival celebration.

Information about the Museum of the Carnival Mask. Documentation and Research Center

Piazza IV Novembre, 1, – 42024 Castelnovo di Sotto (Reggio nell’Emilia)
phone: 0522485736
email: cultura@comune.castelnovo-di-sotto.re.it