Giuseppe Borsalino Hat Museum
The Giuseppe Borsalino Hat Museum in Alessandria, Piedmont, celebrates the legacy of Italy’s — and the world’s — most celebrated felt hat manufacturer, founded by Giuseppe Borsalino in 1857. The museum traces the evolution of the iconic Borsalino hat from artisan workshop to global luxury brand, displaying historic moulds, machinery, archival photographs and an extensive collection of hat models that span nearly two centuries of craft. Situated in the city where the company was born and still manufactures, the museum is a pillar of Alessandria’s industrial and cultural identity.
At a glance
- Type
- Industrial heritage and fashion museum
- Period
- Founded 1857; museum established in the historic Borsalino factory complex
- Style
- 19th-century industrial architecture
- Location
- Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy
- Coordinates
- 44.9089° N, 8.6159° E
Overview
Borsalino is the oldest Italian luxury hat maker and one of the most recognised hat brands in the world, synonymous with the felt fedora worn by icons of cinema, fashion and politics throughout the 20th century. The museum dedicated to its founder and his enterprise preserves the technical, artistic and social history of hatmaking as practised in Alessandria for over 165 years. Exhibits range from raw felt and wooden hat blocks to finished collector’s pieces and film-world archive material.
History
Giuseppe Borsalino opened his hat workshop in Alessandria in 1857, building on skills he had acquired during an apprenticeship in Paris. The company expanded rapidly, eventually employing thousands and transforming Alessandria into the hat-making capital of Italy. The Borsalino name became internationally renowned after its hats were adopted by Hollywood stars and heads of state from the early 20th century onwards. Despite ownership changes and financial difficulties in recent decades, the brand and its Alessandria production base have survived into the 21st century.
What you see
The museum displays antique hat-shaping machinery, original workshop tools, and historical moulds representing decades of craft evolution. Visitors can follow the complete production process from raw rabbit or hare felt to the finished hat, illustrated through both objects and archival imagery. A selection of iconic Borsalino styles — including the classic fedora, the Homburg and seasonal straw models — is displayed alongside film and advertising material that traces the brand’s cultural reach.
Cultural significance
The Borsalino hat became a cultural artefact in its own right — worn by Humphrey Bogart, Alain Delon and countless other screen legends, and immortalised in the 1970 French crime film that bore the brand’s name. As a symbol of Italian artisan excellence and of Alessandria’s industrial heritage, the museum represents an important node of fashion history and Made-in-Italy identity. It contributes to UNESCO’s broader interest in traditional crafts as living cultural heritage.
Practical information
Address: Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy (check current location with the Borsalino official website, as the museum has been subject to relocation discussions). Opening hours and admission fees: check the official website or the Alessandria tourist board for current details.
Getting there
Alessandria is served by direct rail connections from Turin (approximately 45 minutes), Milan (approximately 1 hour) and Genoa (approximately 1 hour). The city’s main railway station is Alessandria FS. From the station, the museum is reachable on foot or by local bus. By car, Alessandria lies on the A26 motorway (Genoa–Gravellona Toce) and the A21 (Turin–Brescia).