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Salerno | Eyewear Museum — Salerno
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Art, Theaters and Museums 📍 Salerno, Italy 202 views

Salerno | Eyewear Museum

In the Eyewear Museum, you can closely observe models and shapes that retrace the history of the last three centuries: from the classic "pince-nez" in gilded metal or steel, to lorniettes in silver, mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell, to face-à-main in horn and gold, to the very t...

Photo · Elena H.

Salerno | Eyewear Museum — Salerno, Italy.

Location
Salerno
Type
Art, Theaters and Museums
Opening hours
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About Salerno | Eyewear Museum

Salerno | Eyewear Museum - Salerno | Secret World Trip Planner

In the Eyewear Museum, you can closely observe models and shapes that retrace the history of the last three centuries: from the classic "pince-nez" in gilded metal or steel, to lorniettes in silver, mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell, to face-à-main in horn and gold, to the very thin "wire rims", to arched models, to specimens with extendable arms, to precious mother-of-pearl binoculars, to cases in shagreen, camel skin or steel or silver. A sample book that makes the small Eyewear Museum, a contemporary "Wunderkammer" or Cabinet de Curiosités in which during the course of the year will alternate objects related to the world of vision, ancient paintings that will have as subjects, portraits with and without monocles and glasses, sculptures, toys or expressive forms of art tout court. If curiosity stimulates vision, Massimo Bisogno is a curious and visionary! His collection of glasses is the result of patient and painstaking research. Instruments that for over 700 years, (if further historical and iconographic research will not deny the mere chronological data), have allowed to expand scientific knowledge, to be able to read more comfortably to those who for various reasons have problems related to one of the most abused senses in the history of mankind.

The fortunate conjuncture of the brand new Ottica Bisogno store, along one of the central streets of Salerno, has allowed the entrepreneur to create an exhibition/didactic space not only for refined and sometimes unusual examples of such art objects, but also reversible and versatile.

Alongside the glasses of yesteryear that retrace the stages of these instruments and their captions, works of art will alternate;

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Frequently Asked Questions

The museum showcases eyewear spanning three centuries, including pince-nez in gilded metal, tortoiseshell lorniettes, face-à-main in horn and gold, wire rims, and mother-of-pearl binoculars with their original cases in shagreen and camel skin. The collection functions as a contemporary Cabinet of Curiosities, with rotating exhibits of ancient paintings featuring portraits with monocles and glasses, sculptures, and other art objects related to vision.
The museum was created by Massimo Bisogno, an entrepreneur and collector whose curious and visionary approach resulted in a patient collection of glasses spanning over 700 years of eyewear history. His collection is housed within the brand new Ottica Bisogno store located on one of Salerno's central streets.
The pieces are exceptional art objects that represent the evolution of instruments used to expand scientific knowledge and improve reading comfort over centuries. They feature refined and sometimes unusual examples crafted from precious materials like mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, gold, and silver, making them both functional instruments and collectible art pieces.
The Eyewear Museum is housed within the Ottica Bisogno store, which is situated along one of the central streets of Salerno. The location combines a contemporary retail optical shop with an exhibition and didactic space that is reversible and versatile for rotating displays.
Throughout the year, the museum alternates objects related to the world of vision, including ancient paintings, portraits with and without monocles and glasses, sculptures, toys, and various expressive art forms. This rotating curatorial approach keeps the collection fresh and positions the museum as a dynamic Cabinet de Curiosités rather than a static display space.

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