Description of the attraction
The Carnival Museum in Viareggio is located in the new complex "City of Carnival" - "Cittadella del Carnevale", designed by the architect Francesco Tommasi. It is divided into several sectors, in each of which museum visitors can get acquainted with the one and a half century history of the famous Viareggio carnival, which is considered the second most popular after the Venetian and one of the most famous in Europe. Here you can also learn about how huge figures are made of papier-mâché - the main characters of the colorful action, see the local limestone from which they are made, and generally follow the entire process of making figures - from design to the final product. Most of the figures are made of clay and papier-mâché - the museum displays masks, head models, bas-reliefs, animal figurines and human figures that clearly demonstrate the skill of local artisans and their ability to turn ordinary stone into real works of art. Some of the exhibits can be moved with the help of ropes and levers, and some masks can be put on, which usually causes a storm of delight among young museum visitors. The collection of old carnival posters and photographs taken in the 1920s, and models of the most famous carnival platforms from the same period, deserve special attention. Interestingly, the same technique used to create papier-mâché figures is also used to produce furniture, theater and opera sets, and decorative items.
Carnival in Viareggio has been held annually since 1873 - that year, for the first time, wealthy residents of the city decided to arrange a colorful parade with flowers and festivities. And several residents of Viareggio, in protest against high taxes, decided to take to the streets of the city wearing masks that day. The first winner of the parade in 1883 was the platform "I Quatro Mori" - "Four Moors", which was an exact reproduction of the statue of the same name in Livorno. The "face" of the carnival is the clown Burlamacco, created in 1931 by the artist Uberto Bonetti - his figure can be seen all year round on the Lungomare embankment.
