Oil, as you know, is a very important ingredient in the Italian cuisine, that’s why around the country you can easily find some museums dedicated to the olive tree.
One of the most important ones is the Fratelli Carli‘s one, located in Imperia Oneglia.
Having won the Award for European Museum of the Year, this museum shows how the Carli’s brothers have dedicated their family history to the olive tree, which is the symbol of this highly unique place. It is the testament to the passion and hard work which has driven the family for almost a century.
In the museum, which is composed by 18 sections- from the history of the olive tree to the Carli’s collection-, visitors are able to find some precious objects, as well as rare working tools and important archaeological finds, which tell a lot about tradition, art, culture and agriculture.
Once you are there, you will feel like living a journey across both time and place, travelling from East to West across the Mediterranean, which is considered the cradle of so many civilisation.
Even before entering the museum, you can breath the atmosphere of the ages and the civilisations through which the olive tree has spread and flourished.
Of course some antique olive presses have been rebuilt among olive trees, since they were thousands of years old. You can also find objects typical of the Greek, Turkish, Spanish and Portuguese culture which were used for the storage of olive oil.
If you get tired, there is a cafeteria and the shop opposite to the main building, as well as a conference room. Next to it you can find the modern Carli’s brothers oil mill, which is open to public, and it is interesting to be visited especially at olive harvest time.
Fratelli Carli
Via Garessio II
18100 Imperia Oneglia
oliocarli.it