A8 Milan - "Laghi" toll motorway, Busto Arsizio exit.

The Museum spreads across three floors, along with the two turrets. The ground floor and the first floor of the Museum are equipped with an alternative route which has been specially designed for the visually handicapped.

An audio-guide system has also been included to provide information about the history of textiles in Busto Arsizio and some details about the machines and products. On the ground floor, in addition to a bar and a conference room situated in the rear parallelepiped, there is also early spinning machinery, the large machines for weaving and finishing, and the first nineteenth-century systems for avoiding industrial accidents.

The first floor is dedicated to the history of Jacquard manufacture, from the antipodes to the computer. Display cases are positioned in the centre of the room remembering the fathers of Bustocca and Bustese industry, such as Enrico dell'Acqua. The floor is also important for its "sala delle esperienze" (experiences room), a workshop where it is possible to touch the cotton from the simple flower to the finished material.

The second floor is dedicated to the phases of dyeing and printing the fabric. In addition, many finished products are on show, from outfits from the start of the century to the new synthetic fibres. Old Singer sewing machines can also be seen, along with new materials used in the space industry (a suit autographed by the astronaut Franco Malerba), in sport (the seat from a Formula 1 Lotus used by Mika Hakkinen) and in high fashion (a suit from the Gattinoni collection).

Finally, there is a department dedicated to office life. As regards the turrets, the first is dedicated to 1800s photography and the other to the Borri shoe factory, another extremely important factory in the city of Busto Arsizio. In December 2007, the museum was one of the 167 establishments to be officially recognised by the Lombardy Region through its seal of quality for the quality of services offered to citizens.

Booking:
Required for guided tours

Access:
from Thuesday to Saturday 3.00 - 7.00 pm;
Friday 10.00 am - 1.00 pm / 3.00 - 7.00 pm;
Sunday from 4.00 to 7.00 pm

Closed on the last week of July and in August

Price:
Free