Museum Bijou

Pins, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, cufflinks and other objects shine in the showcases of the Bijou Museum in Casalmaggiore, in which is the proof of another important historical industrial reality of the Oglio-Po area. The Museo del Bijou di Casalmaggiore was founded in 1986. Ten years later it was set up in the basement of the ex Collegio Santa Crocem a building purposely renovated that was constructed by the Padri Barnabiti around the 18th century. The collections are here exhibitedin an area of 1 square chain, divided into three sections (the exhibited object, the archives, the technologies). The section of the exhibited objects consists of more than 20.000 pieces produced by the industries in Casalmaggiore between the end of the 19th century and 1970. Besides the traditional kinds of costume jewellery (briches, cufflinks, bracelets, belts, earrings, pendents) you can find powder-cases, lipstick holders, cigarette cases, sunglasses, devotional medals and badges. The exhibition is completed with two laboratories (the professional and didactical ones), a documentation center and a temporary-expositions room, which allows to periodically show all the most updated jewellery products manufactured nowadays. The costume jewellery industry in Casalmaggiore was born in a small workshop on the initiative of the pioneer and master Giulio Galluzzi (Codogno 1855 – Casalmaggiore 1932), who moved to Casalmaggiore in 1878, where he succeeded in realising the first golden plate in 1882. This lucky experience gave rise to an important flourishing firm that just in 1887 exported its products to South America with the brand name “G.G.”. At the end of the 20s the firm Giulio Galluzzi, the Società Federale Orefici, which was founded in 1905, and the firm Il Placcato, working since 1920, came together in a new firm, the Società Anonima Fabbriche Riunite Placcato Oro. Casalmaggiore (CR) lies on the Po river, in the middle of a triangle composed of three artistic towns: Cremona, Mantova and Parma, and it is few kilometres away from the important tourist centres in Sabbioneta (MN) and Colorno (PR). Casalmaggiore in 18 kilometres far from the toll-booth in Parma (A1) and it is situated on the railway line Parma – Brescia. You can find the museum inside the ex Collegio Santa Croce in old town centre in Casalmaggiore, 9, via Azzo Porzio. It opens from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays and holidays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.