Shit Museum – Bosco Castel
The Shit Museum (Museo della Merda) at Castelbosco in the Province of Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, is reported to be the world’s first museum dedicated to feces and their transformation into resources. Opened on 5 May 2015, it was conceived by agricultural entrepreneur Gianantonio Locatelli as a provocation and a serious scientific statement: that excrement, properly processed, is not waste but a raw material for energy, fertiliser and even building materials. The museum operates within a working dairy farm and was designed by architect Luca Cipelletti.
At a glance
- Type
- Specialty / agricultural heritage museum
- Period
- Opened 5 May 2015; farm origins medieval (Castelbosco castle complex)
- Style
- Contemporary installation within historic farm buildings
- Location
- Castelbosco, Gragnano Trebbiense, Province of Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
- Coordinates
- 45.0013° N, 9.5467° E
Overview
The Museo della Merda challenges visitors to rethink one of civilisation’s most avoided subjects. Set against the medieval tower and farm buildings of the Castelbosco estate, it deploys art, science and agricultural history to argue that human and animal excrement has always been central to settled life — as soil amendment, fuel, pigment and mortar. The museum’s installations draw on ancient practices and cutting-edge biogas research, bridging several thousand years of agricultural knowledge in a single provocative narrative.
History
Castelbosco has been an agricultural estate since the medieval period, and the historic tower on the property dates to that era. The Locatelli family, who run a large dairy operation with several thousand cows, conceived the museum after installing a biogas plant that converts manure into electricity. Founder Gianantonio Locatelli worked with three co-founders and commissioned architect Luca Cipelletti to transform the farm buildings into exhibition spaces, opening to the public in May 2015. The project attracted international media attention and has since welcomed visitors from dozens of countries.
What you see
The permanent collection mixes archaeological artefacts, scientific specimens and contemporary artworks, all connected by the theme of excrement and its uses across history. Exhibits include ancient Roman amphorae used to transport organic fertilisers, terracotta tiles made partly from processed bovine manure (sold in the museum shop), historical tools for collecting and spreading dung, and displays explaining the biogas digestor installed on the Locatelli farm. A section on coprolites — fossilised dung — adds a palaeontological dimension, while large-format photography documents the daily reality of industrial dairy farming.
Cultural significance
By institutionalising a subject that polite society ignores, the Museo della Merda performs an act of cultural subversion with real scientific content. It has been praised by critics, agronomists and museum professionals as an example of how contemporary museums can engage difficult or taboo subjects to illuminate urgent environmental questions such as circular economy, waste valorisation and sustainable agriculture. The project has won design awards and been featured in international architecture and ecology publications.
Practical information
- Address
- Castelbosco, Gragnano Trebbiense, 29010 Province of Piacenza (PC), Italy
- Opening hours
- Check official website for current seasonal hours; visits often by appointment
- Admission
- Check official website for current rates
- Website
- museodellamerda.org
Getting there
Castelbosco is approximately 20 km south-west of Piacenza city. By car, take the A21 motorway towards Torino, exit at Castel San Giovanni and follow provincial roads towards Gragnano Trebbiense. Piacenza railway station is served by frequent trains from Milan (30 min) and connects to a local bus network, though a car is recommended for the final stretch to the farm. Cycling routes from Piacenza are also possible via the Po plain cycle paths.