Ethnographic Museum of Musical Instruments "Gaspare Cannone"

The Ethnographic Museum of Musical Instruments Gaspare Cannone is housed inside the former Church of Saint James of the Sword and contains approximately 200 instruments from different regions around the world. The space preserves this collection, which demonstrates craftsmanship and musical practices from distant places.

The museum was established in 2014 when teacher and poet Fausto Cannone donated his collection of instruments gathered over decades. This gift led to the creation of the first ethnographic music museum in Sicily.

The collection brings together instruments from Thailand, Tibet, New Guinea, South America, Polynesia, China, and Australia, showing how different cultures around the world create music. Walking through the rooms, you notice how each region developed its own sounds and playing techniques based on local materials and traditions.

The museum is located in Alcamo and housed inside a church building, which makes visiting the collection a comfortable experience. Visitors can explore the instruments in a calm, historical setting that itself shows respect for the objects on display.

The collection includes rare pieces such as a Bolivian charango crafted from armadillo skin and a didgeridoo gifted by a Tasmanian Aboriginal leader. These special objects show personal connections between the collector and distant musical communities.

Location: Alcamo

Inception: 2014

Official opening: 2014

Address: via Commendatore Navarra, 75

Website: https://comune.alcamo.tp.it/it/point-of-interest/708881

GPS coordinates: 37.97961,12.96470

Latest update: December 14, 2025 15:00