The Museum of Rural Life "Michele Russo" is an institution open to the public since 1995.
It collects about 3000 objects, instruments, tools and artefacts from the Vesuvian area and from the province of Naples concerning rural culture referring to a historical period prior to the introduction of farm machinery on the cultivated field.
In addition to preserving the memory linked to rural society, the Museum has always turned its attention to the teaching area, with initiatives designed to make available to teachers and students of different cultural levels that meet their needs.
- Agricultural Activities are Set Up in 20 Sectors - transport systems used for the farmers work and the exchange and transport of animal by-products or animal traction vehicles are documented in this area. Yokes and animal traction vehicles (wagon, two-wheeled wheel with two-tier helm) are exposed.
- Wine Room - The exhibited objects document the stages of vine cultivation and wine production.
- Chamber of Crafts - In this section there are several installations dedicated to some of the oldest crafts and their tools.
- Food Production Room - This collection includes tools for hoeing, cereal processing and maize production equipment.
- Peasant Stand - The typical household items of the farm house are presented: scales, pots, spoons, preservation containers.
- Etnomusicological Section - there are the main musical instruments for the execution of traditional tammurriate and festive peasant rituals.
- Stalls with Work Animals and Poultry - a section mainly devoted to teaching and schooling, the outfitting also provides several tips to explain the sacred protection of spaces for animals and their location in everyday life and in the rural economy.
- Educational Garden - In a special space, seasonal plants are grown.
The Rural Life Museum is also a valuable cultural tool to understand our contemporary, allowing us through contrastive analysis to appreciate what we have lost and what we have acquired over a century of our history.
Strong of a wide and diversified museum collection combined to the presence, upon request, of artisans and masters of tradition that give new life to objects and tools, has always proposed a superior quality service that combines entertainment and culture with stimuli, interests and information that leave a trace in the memory of visitors that was not just that of having fun on a beautiful day.
The Rural Life Museum is also a Regional Interest Museum: quality of the services offered, value of the exhibited collections, professionalism, cultural and the value of the knowledge of which it is depositary, have easily convinced the Campania Region to insert the museum in the category of cultural jewels of the territory.