International Puppet Museum in Palermo, Palermo, Italy | Museum

Set in 1975 by the Association for the preservation of folk traditions, the Antonio Pasqualino International Puppet Museum has constantly taken its inspiration from modern museology and theatre activities, becoming one of the best examples of museography research on theatre in Palermo, Italy. The museum hosts 3500 items from all around the world.

This is a fantastic museum that you cannot loose.. Pupi, as Sicilian puppets are called, have long been considered among the finest versions of the art of the marionette. The puppets are based on characters from the French chansons de geste. In the first room is International Puppet Museum's collection of Sicilian puppets, many presented on stage and operated with strings. The most outstanding artisan here is Gaspara Canino, who achieved fame with his theater puppets in the 1800s. In other rooms of the museum you can see results of the marionette art in other countries, including the English Punch and Judy.

The International Puppet Museum in Palermo, Italy is a remarkable exhibit of a preserved "popular tradition". There are hundreds of marionettes & hand puppets of Italian and other venues both recent and ancient one as well as colorful backdrops, stages, etc. There are puppets of other continents such as Oriental stick puppets and shadow puppets.