Museum of Tomato facts for kids

The Tomato Museum is located in a historic building called Corte di Giarola.

The entrance hall of the Tomato Museum.

The Tomato Museum, or Museo del pomodoro in Italian, is a special museum in Italy all about the tomato! It's located in a place called Corte di Giarola, near the towns of Collecchio and Ozzano Taro. This area, the Province of Parma, is famous for growing and making tomato products.

The museum is in the same building as another fun museum, the Museum of Pasta.

How the Museum Started

In 2001, a group called the Promoting Committee of Food Museums was formed. Their goal was to create museums that celebrate the famous foods of the Parma region.

By 2004, they teamed up with many local groups. These included the government of Parma, the towns of Soragna, Langhirano, and Collecchio, and businesses that protect local foods. Together, they decided to create a network of Food Museums.

They chose a historic building called Corte di Giarola to house a museum dedicated to the tomato. This building was perfect because it had a long history of being used for food production.

Grand Opening

The Tomato Museum is on the ground floor of the Corte di Giarola building. This building was once a center for farming and food processing, starting in the Middle Ages. Later, it became a factory for canned foods in the 20th century.

The museum officially opened on September 25, 2010. The opening day included a special event about the tomato in Parma. It covered the history, business, and taste of this amazing fruit. Famous food experts, like nutritionist Giorgio Calabrese and food journalist Davide Paolini, were invited to speak.

What's Inside the Museum?

The museum's exhibits are split into seven different sections. Each one tells a part of the tomato's story.

• Section 1: The Tomato's Journey

This room has a giant sculpture of a sliced tomato in the middle. Panels on the walls show you all the different kinds of tomatoes and tell the story of how they traveled from the Americas to Europe.

• Section 2: An Industry is Born

Here, you can see old photos and items that show how making tomato products became a big industry in the Parma area.

• Section 3: Cool Old Machines

This room displays 14 vintage machines. They show how the technology for making tomato products changed over time.

• Section 4: From Plant to Can

This section explains the whole process of how tomatoes are turned into products we eat. You can learn about how they are made and packaged.

• Section 5: Building the Machines

Panels in this room show how the machines used in tomato factories were developed and built.

• Section 6: The Pioneers

See pictures and read stories about the people who started the tomato industry. You can also learn about the most famous factories.

• Section 7: Tomato Culture

The final section shows how the tomato became a big part of culture. You can see old postcards, advertisements, and catalogs all about the "Tomato World."