Paper and Watermark Museum

Housed in the recently restored monumental complex of the former Dominican Convent, the Paper and Watermark Museum represents the image of seven hundred years of local papermaking tradition. In a large fourteenth-century room on the ground floor, a medieval gualchiera for making paper by hand has been reconstructed. The museum is divided into sections, which go from the handmade manufacture of paper and its use, to the display of watermarks, with information on the techniques used to obtain them, to the display of the historical journey of paper, the stages of development of this art in the land of Fabriano, its manufacturing processes and related technology, by means of documents and historical-thematic cards. The collection also includes a very important collection of ancient and modern watermarks: during the guided tour, in addition to watching a video on the history of paper, it is possible to see a demonstration of handmade paper production with master papermakers.In addition, on the occasion of the 2019 UNESCO Annual Conference, the Fabriano Paper Pavilion was presented, a pavilion entirely dedicated to paper that hosted a series of events inside the Historic Complex of the Miliani Fabriano Paper Mills, which was extraordinarily open to the public for the occasion. In addition, on the occasion of the 2019 UNESCO Annual Conference, the Fabriano Paper Pavilion was presented, a pavilion entirely dedicated to paper that hosted a series of events inside the Historic Complex of the Miliani Fabriano Paper Mills, which for the occasion was extraordinarily open to the public. The places where, as early as the 13th century, the water of the Giano river favoured the establishment of paper manufactures, the rooms that were the heart of the paper mill and of Fabriano itself, were transformed into an itinerary that recounts the world of paper and its history, inviting the public to participate through a series of initiatives, exhibitions and workshops. A Wonderful Journey is a poetic itinerary, curated by Umberto Giovannini, which takes shape within the historical heritage of the paper mills thanks to the iconographic constructions of artists Gianna Bentivenga and Maria Pina Bentivenga, to the design of the layout and shadows by Anusc Castiglioni and the lighting by Massimo Zanelli. Find out more at the link.