Museo Borsalino

The Borsalino Museum is a dynamic and innovative space which accompanies visitors on their discovery of the Italian hat culture. An emotional journey which overlaps and intertwines many levels: the history of an entrepreneurial dynasty, the history of its territory of origin, the artisan tradition that is handed down from generation to generation and, finally, the extraordinary hats which reflect the creative dialogue of Borsalino with art, design, fashion and, above all, cinema. The museum exhibition is supported by a rich multimedia system, which accompanies the visitors and allows a personalized and highly experiential use. A series of three themed areas crosses Palazzo Borsalino and unravels a story which originated in 1857 and arrives to the present day. The route begins from Antica Casa, a multimedia installation which goes back over the key stages of the history of the hat factory and deepens its connection with the local area. Manifattura is the name of the area dedicated to the processes of hat production, where an immersive video projection and a series of explanatory artefacts accompany the visitor on their discovery of the techniques and secrets of the artisans of Alessandria. Finally, the visitor arrives at the Gallery section with more than 2000 hats on show organised into eight narrative routes, for an unparalleled experience. The historical Borsalino hat collection, donated in 1994 by Giovanna Usuelli Borsalino to the City of Alessandria, has been enriched by close to 200 new purchases which Fondazione Borsalino has made available to the Museum to increase its appeal. The historical display cabinets designed by Ignazio Gardella for the ancient Samples Room Borsalino stand out in the Gallery section of the Museum with a new lighting system, Eighty items of the collection, selected for their extraordinary value, are enriched by anecdotes, images and videos, accessible through the Borsalino Museum App. The museum tour is completed by Borsalino video installations and the cinema: a long love story, Tesori di carta: the advertising posters of the Borsalino collection and All'origine dei Panama Borsalino. The new AUDIO GUIDES, presented in April 2025, offer visitors an even more engaging and comprehensive experience, allowing for in-depth exploration of the three key areas of the museum - Antica Casa, Manifattura and La Collezione - through two museum tours in Italian and English. The Museum presents a TOUR DEDICATED TO KIDS, narrated directly by Giuseppe Borsalino, the founder of the iconic brand. This tour is designed to allow the younger visitors to approach the history and the tradition of the Brand and the Area in a simple and fun way. The new audio guides are included in the price of the admission ticket. OPENING TIMES Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm (last entry at 5:30 pm). Open as usual on the following holidays: 25/04 - Liberation Day 01/05 - Labor Day 15/08 - Feast of the Assumption Ticket: full €12, reduced €10. Free for holders of Piedmont Museum Pass. For residents in the Municipality of Alessandria: full price €8, reduced €6. Reduced entry: Fai members, over 65s, teenagers from 12-18 years of age, students up to 26 years of age, groups of at least 15 people. Free admission: holders of Piedmont-Valle d'Aosta Museum Pass, children up to 12 years of age accompanied by parents, Italian and foreign journalists registered in the Order of Journalists, disabled visitors with carer. Free tickets are available exclusively at the cash desk. For more information check museum website. It is possible to request special openings for groups or events on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday by writing to borsalinomuseum.com