Museo Nazionale delle Paste Alimentari

It makes perfect sense that the world’s only pasta museum is located in none other than Rome, Italy–the Italians have perfected the art of flour, water and salt.

Established in 1993 with the help of the Vincenzo Agnesi Foundation, the Museo Nazionale della Pasta Alimentari is presently closed and used to be located at the Piazza Scanderbeg. It is the first and only structure of its kind to entirely dedicate itself to pasta: its history, evolution, production, and of course, consumption. 

Old machinery harkens back to the early days when pasta was first brought over to Italy from China, alongside traditional implements such as rolling pins and sieves. Milestones in pasta manufacture such as the kneading machine and the revolutionary invention of drying techniques show a far more complicated history than expected. 

Early photographs show Neapolitan scenes of eager pasta consumers stuffing their faces, and pasta drying out in the streets. Academics studying pasta often use the museum’s dedicated library of ancient and modern texts on the culinary evolution of pasta and the techniques used in its production.

With its carefully curated exhibits and tantalizing displays, the National Pasta Museum is probably one you’ll want to save for after you’ve had a big lunch.