This content was automatically translated. View the original text.
The Museum of Antique Tin Boxes in Gerano: a journey through Italian graphics and popular memory
In the village of Gerano, near Rome, there is a unique collection: the Museo delle Antiche Scatole di Latta is the first museum in Italy entirely dedicated to tin boxes. Here, the old containers for biscuits, sweets and cocoa are veritable testimonies of the past. They tell the story of Italian design and popular customs from the late 19th century to the 1950s. A simple and brilliant idea.
A collector’s passion
It all began with the personal research conducted by Marina Durand de la Penne who, starting from a gift received, spent decades collecting hundreds of these tins, rescuing them from oblivion. Her collection has become an archive documenting the evolution of advertising in Italy, at a time when packaging was designed to last and be reused — not merely a container, but an object worth keeping.
What to see in the museum today
The exhibition organises the tins by theme, creating a visual journey. Visitors move from illustrations celebrating the marriages of the House of Savoy, through the colonial campaigns, all the way to the post-war economic boom. Some pieces were designed by leading illustrators of the era; others are the large display tins — up to fifty centimetres tall — that once stood tall on the counters of traditional grocery shops.
Visits are by appointment, and it is advisable to check opening days and hours, which may vary, contacting the museum directly.
