Carrara, a town in upper Tuscany is located at the foot of the Apuan Alps and is world famous for its quarries, the extraction, processing of its marble, and the creation of works of art. Carrara’s quarries, active since Roman times, have over the years contributed material for the creation of masterpieces through various eopchas. Today, the city boasts an artistic heritage of great value, with museums, galleries and events celebrating art and sculpture while also hosting numerous institutions that tell the story of the history and techniques of marble quarrying, as well as the protagonists who helped make it famous around the world.
CARMI, Museo Carrara e Michelangelo in Villa Fabbricotti explores the connection between Michelangelo, the city and its famous marble. The itinerary dedicated to the artist, is enriched not only by older and contemporary marble sculptures, but also by reproductions such as the 1:1 scale Moses, holograms of David, videos, photographs, facsimiles of artists such as Mark Rothko, Le Corbusier, and historical documents from the Massa State Archives. The tour continues to the basement, where there are educational rooms, workshops for adults and children, and conference spaces. The goal of the exhibition space is to celebrate the city’s artistic tradition and to inspire new generations of artists and art enthusiasts.
Within the city of Carrara is MudaC in the former 17th-century Convent of St. Francis. The space houses a collection dating from after World War II, including works by national and international artists who have worked and exhibited in Carrara from the second half of the 20th century to the present. The works on display in the museum come from the International Sculpture Biennale, a historic collection that began in 1957 and ended in 1973, and from the more contemporary collections, marked by greater artistic experimentation. A significant part of the museum exhibition is also Drawing Marble from 2004, which includes a selection of 40 white marble slabs created by numerous international artists.
The Museo Civico del Marmo, on the other hand, presents an extensive collection on the world of marble: there are Italian and foreign marbles such as granites and stones; an archaeological section from the Roman colony of Luca, documentation of marble quarrying with machinery and tools; and a marble collection goes from the Middle Ages with casts and reliefs to the modern age. The Marble Museum is a must-see for anyone interested in discovering the history and art related to the material. Through its collections, the museum offers a look at marble through the centuries, showing how it has acted in the culture and history of Carrara and Tuscany.
The Palazzo Cucchiari, completed in 1891, represents an important 19th-century testament to Carrara. Inside, the floors of the rooms are made in the Venetian mosaic tradition, and the rooms are decorated with frescoes created by local artists. One of the most fascinating elements of the Cucchiari Palace is the mesmerizing perspective created by the geometries of the ramps of cantilevered steps. The ramps lead up to the top floor, which is frescoed with geometric and floral motifs that add to the palace’s sense of beauty, and the architectural arrangement of the stairs and use of space create a masterful visual effect.
The Fantiscritti Quarry Museum is located among active Carrara marble quarries and preserves the memory of the quarrymen and their work. The quarry, unlike others in the area, is not intended for marble extraction, but serves as an exhibition route and gives visitors a journey into the history and culture of marble and the men who laboriously worked it. The collection features a reconstruction of a shed, life-size marble oxen and various tools of the quarrymen.