METS - Trentino Folklife Museum

The METS - Museo etnografico trentino San Michele was founded by Giuseppe Sebesta, a Trentinian writer, artist and ethnologist in 1968 and is situated in the ancient Augustinian monastery of San Michele all'Adige. Its spiral-shaped exhibition itinerary is organised on five floors, 43 rooms and 25 different sections displaying more than 12,000 objects telling about the agricultural progresses and the lives of mountain farmers. Particular attention is devoted to the agro-pastoral system used in the mountains of Trentino and to typical agricultural tools.

The exhibition itinerary starts on the ground floor in a room dedicated to agriculture where visitors can admire a sawmill, a forge, a nail production workshop, three areas dedicated to zootechnics, wrought iron and a copper foundry. On the first floor, you will discover interesting facts on wedding customs, textile fibres, pastures, beekeeping, forestry, carts, Venetian sawmills, that is, sawmills fuelled with water, and woodworking. The second floor focuses on "ole" stoves (stufe a olle) and on handmade ceramic tools, whereas the third floor shows ancient customs and traditions such as annual rituals, the central role of music and traditional music groups, hunting and popular beliefs.

The last stage of this journey takes you to a vaulted cellar boasting different rooms dedicated to wine and grappa production. In this unique adventure, visitors can learn a lot about the life and the ancient customs of Trentino's population. The museum also offers educational and thematic itineraries, as well as educational workshops for families.