Mankind would not have gone this far and history would have taken another course without lenses and glasses: who knows whether Galileo would have discovered stars and planets or whether Columbus would have reached America...
As a consequence, it was necessary to remember the history of glasses in a museum that collected and displayed the 7 centuries of this precious instrument. Equally natural was setting this museum in Pieve di Cadore, where spectacles have been made for over 100 years and this art has evolved into modern industries whose importance is recognised all over the world.
The Museum of Glasses in Pieve di Cadore collects over 2,000 pieces, covering a period that goes from the Middle Ages to the present. The glasses are often so precious and refined that they can easily be compared to masterpieces of jewellery and of artistic craftsmanship. In these articles imagination and fantasy are brilliantly combined with optical science and the history of costume.
We can remember, for instance, the French golden "fassamani" studded with gems, the English ivory creations or the Chinese jade and golden articles. And then the small telescopes hidden in walking sticks or the exquisite ivory fans created to hide monocles when it was still a good habit "to see without being seen" and myopia was a fault to hide decidedly.
The Museum illustrates every aspect of the history of spectacles. Therefore, we find that at least four centuries went by before the bars were commonly used and sunglasses have their precursors in the 18th century, when Carlo Goldoni began to use green lenses to protect his eyes from sunlight, thus starting a fortunate tradition.
Opening time
Tuesday to Sunday: 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.
Mondays open by appointment
Rates
Full: € 7.00
Reduced: € 4.00 - children and teenagers from 6 to 18 years, adults over 65, groups, teachers, FAI members, Touring Club, Belluno libraries, Areaarte
Free: children up to 6 years, disabled and carers, journalists with card
For further information
Onlus Eyeglasses Museum Foundation
Via Arsenale, 15 32044 Pieve di Cadore (BL)
Tel. + 39 0435 32953
