Museum of Textiles

The textile museum at Busto Arsizio in the province of Vares is located in a three-storey building that was once the spinning department of the cotton company, Cotonificio Cario Ottolini. It dates from the 1890s, is a castle-like structure, in brick, with lancet windows and battlements, and is now surrounded by a public park. Production ceased in the 1970s and the museum opened in 1997. It displays machines used for carding, spinning and weaving, including Jacquard looms and a particularly rare domestic loom of 1813. On the second floor are machines used for producing embroidery and samples of their products, while on the second floor the processes of dyeing and printing are demonstrated. One feature of the museum is a collection of specialised products made in the region, including suits for astronauts and racing car drivers. Small sections deal with the history of shoemaking in the region and photography.