The Museum Barca Lariana is located in an historical building which hosted a late nineteenth century spinning mill. Flexible and prestigious container with unique architectural beauty,
with the atmosphere of the historic and contemporary loft, it has more than 300 square meters of space and large windows with magnificent view of Lake Como.
By the end of the 19th century the Rozzano family was one of the most important of the great families of Milan. Born in 1943, GianAlberto Zanoletti, the current Marquess, still as a child spends his summer vacation at the Lake, where as a teenager he begins to hang out with old fishermen and Shipwrights. At the age of 12 he is gifted his first dinghy. It is the beginning of his passion at regattas and motorboat racing. His strong will makes him burn the stages. He is only 17 when he participates to the nautical competition "100 miles of Lake" on a Molinari speedboat, with a Mercury outboard engine. In 1970 he breaks the world speed record in the Sport Outboard class SF (1000 cc) category on a Abbate speed boat with a Carniti engine.
From a very young age he starts his collection of wooden boats, well aware that these represent the memory of the Lake. Sailing boats, motor boats, gondolas, comballi, shuttles, workboats. Nothing hides from the experienced eye of GianAlberto who, over the years, will collect hundreds of "old ladies" of wood, objects, photographs and stories.
His home backyard has no more room to accommodate his collection; in 1977 he buys an old textile mill that will become the “Museum Barca Lariana” and starts with some friends “La Raccolta Barca Lariana”, an association dedicated to safeguarding antique classic boats.
1982 sees the official opening of Museum Barca Lariana, a unique heritage in the world. A priceless collection for the marine industry and the Italian history, housed on 9,400 m2 of halls and over 8,000 m2 of park, aiming at showing the history of boating in a territory, Lombardy and Lake Como in particular, rich in history and culture.
Since then he has devoted himself, from the bottom of his heart, to his only passion: vintage boats, rightly considered true jewels. In 1987 he founds, with a group of friends fond of classic yachts, “ASDEC”, the “Vintage and Classic Boats Association” reflecting what was, and still is, his longtime wish: gather all true fans of vintage and classic boats in a club.
Museo Barca Lariana, a heritage to be acknowledged and story to tell. A small universe of joy for this piece of art craft.
The heritage of the Museum Barca Lariana:
• Almost 200 rowing boats and gondolas
• Almost 50 fishing boats
• More than 100 outboard motorboats and about 100 inboard leisure motorboats
• About 40 inboard speedboats
• About 80 sailing boats
• 3 rowing boats for smuggling
• The oldest boat on Lake Como
• 6 military boats and 4 work boats
• Almost 300 outboard engines and 80 inboard engines
• Thousands of relevant objects
• Hundreds of recordings, slides, books, magazines and more than 3,000 photographs
Opening hours
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays: 2 p.m.-6 p.m.
From Monday to Thursday an in Winter time opening only on request (groups of at least 15 people)
Tickets
Adults: € 10.00
Reduced ticket (kids up to 21 years old, military personnel, teachers): € 5.00
Groups (15 or more people) or schools: € 5.00 per person
Children up to 6 years, disabled people and companion, accredited journalists: free entrance
Via Regina, 1268 - PIANELLO DEL LARIO
info@museobarcalariana.it
www.museobarcalariana.it
+39 0344 87235
