Museo Fisogni

History

The Museum was founded in 1966 in Palazzolo Milanese (Paderno Dugnano). The entrepreneur Guido Fisogni, son of Alpini General and nobleman Federico Fisogni and of countess Elisabetta Barbiano di Belgioioso, had a society that built gas stations in Italy and Europe, and in 1961 decided to collect old gas pumps and related objects, starting from an old Italian fuel pump by Bergomi, from the 1920s.

From 1966 to 2000 the collection, example of Modern antique and industrial archeology, was enlarged with globes, gadgets, tools, graphics, toys and documents from different countries. The Museum now hosts more than 180 fuel dispensers (from 1892 to 2001) anche more than 8.000 objects.

In 1994 the Museum assumed its present name.

When Guido Fisogni sold his company, in 2000, the Museum remained closed for 15 years, before re-opening in 2015 in Tradate, in the ancient buildings of "Villa Castiglioni", previously home of Cesare Castiglioni, nobleman, soldier of Giuseppe Garibaldi and entrepreneur.

The collection of the museum includes many vintage graphics by important designers and illustrators (like Plinio Codognato or Lora Lamm) and

among the most important pieces there are a gas pump designed by Marcello Nizzoli for Agip in 1960 and Benito Mussolini's private fuel pump, probably designed by Marcello Piacentini.

The historical location is also used for private and corporate events, exhibitions and cultural events.

Bergomi archive

The Museum preserves also part of the historical archive of Società Anonima Bergomi, an Italian company existed from 1906 to 1993, which built gas pumps in the 20th century, with ancient projects and photos from 1909 to the 1950s.

Villa Castiglioni

The manor, belonging to Pusterla family, was bought by the Castiglionis in 1781, and then enlarged during the 19th century, mainly thanks to Cesare Castiglioni.

The courtyard where the Museum is exposed dates back to 1840, while the residential area, in neo-Gothic style, assumed this shape around 1875

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The courtyard was abandoned until 2015, when it was restored to house the museum.