The Wine Museum in Barolo
I had expected a nice, nerdy experience from my visit to the wine museum in Barolo, but was surprised to find full blown family entertainment.
Sandwiched between two Italian school classes, I started to realize that the Wine Museum in Barolo – also called WI.MU - might not be an ordinary, run-of-the-mill Italian wine museum. Instead of focusing on soil, grape varieties and fermentation, the Swiss architect François Confino, who’s also designed Turin’s Cinema and Car Museums, takes you on a sensory tour through the history of wine in nature, art, cooking, cinema, music, literature, myth and traditions.
wine museum in Barolo
Paintings and Pop Songs
Along the way you see fancy multimedia effects, exhibits made to be touched and tampered with, ingenious machinery and cabinet curiosities.
There are power point paintings by Chagall, Caravaggio and Matisse. Famous posters and scenes from Dionysian films like Barbettes Feast, French Kiss, Dracula, and Notorious that illustrate the rituals of wine drinking in our time. And soft chairs where you can sit and listen to pop songs like ‘Red Red Wine’, ‘Summer Wine’ and ‘Champagne Supernova’ while on-screen graphics blink in time with the rhythm.
There are three storeys of sensory overload in blackened rooms, and although we had three very knowledgeable and able guides, I was relieved to reach the basement shop, where daylight seeped in. WI.MU. offers an intoxicating experience – though not from wine. So if you go to visit, do bring the kids. They’ll love a museum that zaps through history faster than a remote control. And teh wine museum in Barolo is just one of many attractions in the area.
Italian Notes was a guest of #BITEG and the Piedmont Tourist Board but opinions and mistakes are my own.
What an experience, it doesn’t sound like a museum at all! Love the juxtaposed collection of photos.
No, this is entertainment. I guess, some would claim it doesn’t take its subject matter seriously.
Great tips for our next visit in la bella Italia this. All about wine, very contemporary and fun, it looks - and with kids!
Yes, a strange combo, isn’t it?
This sounds like an awesome museum. Who knew wine museums can be so interesting and kid-friendly? This looks like sensory overload but what fun.
It’s a rare occurrence where wine and kids can overlap. Sounds like a fun museum - but no Barolo tastings?? Bummer.
Yeah. You can buy wine in the Barolo Museum shop, and no one leaves the town of Barolo thirsty.
Ooops - Forgot to mention that you can get tastings - I did, but I think you have to be part of a group and book beforehand. There’s also a shop where you can flash your credit card to your hearts delight. So, plenty of opportunities to experience the genuine Barolo effect.
The sensory rooms sound great to me. Since I don’t drink, wineries don’t really hold all that much interest to me. It’d be nice to have something else to do than watch other people drink.
I can understand that:)
Wow - what a cool place. I have never heard of it. Thanks for the info.
It’s quite new - opened in 2010 - so you are excused.
The Barolo wine museum sounds very interesting. I’m impressed by the diverse exhibits. But no wine tasting??
Ah, you won’t have to walk far for a sample. That’s for sure. Cheers.
This is right up my alley! Definitely want to go there one day.
See you around then:)
It’s for sure a fun museum to visit.
Yes, I sure had a good time.
Coincidentally, I’m heading there today so thanks for mentally preparing me. It sounds like I’ll need a drink after all that sensory overload.
I’m sure you’ll find a suitable little enoteca.
Pinned to my board Learn about Wine https://au.pinterest.com/vinodiversity/learn-about-wine/
Thank you. I appreciate that and will follow the board immediately.