Civic Museum of Dolls and Toys

The Municipality of Santa Giuletta in Oltrepò Pavese experienced an intense period of activity related to doll production during the 1950s and 1960s. These dolls, sold both in Italy and abroad, made the town famous under the nickname "the doll town" and even the "Italian Nuremberg."

In addition to numerous doll factories, complementary businesses emerged for plastic molding and the production of hair, eyes, voices, and even packaging boxes. To commemorate this important period, in 2005, the Municipal Administration, with the support of the European Community, established the Civic Museum of Dolls and Toys, dedicated to Quirino Cristiani, who was born in Santa Giuletta and was the inventor of the first animated film.

The museum houses dolls, photographs, molds, work tools, labels, and catalogs from different eras, spanning from the 1930s to the 1980s. Attached to the museum is a Papier-mâché Workshop, where numerous molds used for making dolls are displayed. The museum, located in Piazza S. Pertini No. 14 with access from Via Martiri della Libertà, can be visited by appointment. Guided tours and, upon request, educational workshops are organized for schools.

Since 2014, the Doll and Vintage Toy Fair has been held in May, attracting collectors and visitors from all over Northern Italy. The 2015 edition featured the participation of Samy Odin, Director of the Paris Museum, who came specifically to visit the museum and see the dolls of Santa Giuletta. On this occasion, the Ticinum Bookstore of Voghera presented the book Bambole di S. Giuletta, written by Loretta Ravazzoli with a preface by Samy Odin.

In 1959, Maria Perego, in collaboration with her husband, created Topo Gigio, an adorable puppet that, since the 1960s, has captured the hearts of audiences, achieving great success on television and becoming the most beloved mouse in Italy, famous for his signature phrase, "ma cosa mi dici mai."

Many Italian factories immediately showed interest in reproducing Topo Gigio, but it was the Rossella Factory of Santa Giuletta that, in the 1960s, obtained the license from Maria Perego to produce the puppet in four versions and two different sizes: Good Night, Santa Claus, Sailor, and Skier.

More than fifty years have passed since Topo Gigio took shape in Santa Giuletta. With his romantic, naive, and cheerful expression, dressed in various original outfits, a cherished specimen is carefully preserved and displayed at the museum.