The Lavazza Coffee Museum In Turin Is A Must For Java Lovers
Turin, Italy is home to one of the most important Italian coffee roasters, Lavazza, and their coffee museum is a must-see for everyone who loves an espresso!
Turin (Torino) Italy, a city in the Piedmont region, was known as the Detroit of Italy due to being the home to the FIAT, Lancia and Alfa Romeo car manufacturers. When I was young, I had a limited exposure to Italian cities beyond Rome, Venice and Florence, and as a result, my knowledge of Torino was defined by being the home of the Shroud of Turin.
More recently, I’ve learned much more about Torino that interests me. It is the home of Juventus F.C., and the international coffee roaster Lavazza. In addition to being the headquarters of Lavazza, it is also home to the Lavazza Museum, an experience not to be missed by a coffee lover.
Some Lavazza Museum Milestones
The story started in 1895, when Luigi Lavazza opened the first Lavazza store in Turin. Luigi discovered the different origins and characteristics of a variety of coffee beans and studied the art of blending them to satisfy the tastes of his customers.
More than 20 years later, in 1927, the Luigi Lavazza Company consisted of: Luigi Lavazza, his wife Emilia and their children Maria, Mario, Pericle and Giuseppe, also known as Beppe. During these years, Lavazza implemented a packaging comprising two layers of paper that retained all the flavors of the coffee beans. This was the perfect package for families who wanted to buy larger quantities of coffee and the first step toward the Lavazza packaging that we still see in stores today.
As Italy enjoys a full economic boom following WWII, Beppe and Pericle begin to move production to an industrial scale. During this time, Lavazza became Italy’s largest company in the coffee sector, a position it holds to this very day, and was set to become the leaders in Europe. Lavazza’s industrial growth continued with the opening of the largest roasting manufacturing plant in Europe in 1965
The Lavazza Coffee Museum Birth
In 2018, Lavazza celebrated its history and Italy’s coffee culture at its new museum inaugurated at the company’s headquarters in Turin. The museum leads you through five galleries:
- Casa Lavazza – Devoted to the history of the company, which was founded in 1895 by Luigi Lavazza. Visitors can see the promissory note signed by Luigi, so he could open a small grocery store in the center of Turin, which were the beginnings of the Lavazza enterprise.
- The Fabbrica – The section where visitors can learn about how coffee is made, illustrating the various phases of production.
- The Piazza – Recreates a typical Italian square from the 1960s to celebrate the ritual of coffee. It features the historic Autobar, a van that was used to sell coffee on the streets and in the piazzas.
- The Atelier – is a photo studio that retraces the artistic and creative collaborations of the Lavazza brand through images and installations. You can take (and pay for) photos of yourself as you pose in these social media ready settings, or just take your own.
- The Universo – Where visitors can immerse themselves in a 360° multimedia projection and taste a coffee recipe prepared by the Training Center Lavazza. Be sure to stop and taste some new, unique or just unfamiliar blends and roasts that might not be available in your area.
In what I thought was a pretty unique idea, The Lavazza Cup, a classic espresso cup handed to visitors upon entering the museum will guide you through the museum. It’s equipped with a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) sensor that interacts with the exhibit’s information system in the language of your choosing.
Insider Tips for Coffee Lovers Visiting The Lavazza Coffee Museum
Coffee Museum Operating Hours
The Lavazza Coffee Museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00AM until 6:00PM (last admission at 5:30PM). One recommendation is that the specific times for which you are buying tickets are only to manage the crowds, when there are some.
We went off-season, on a weekend, and it wasn’t crowded at all. We were allowed to enter earlier than our tickets indicated, which saved us the need to waste time as we were a bit earlier than expected.
Museum Tickets
- For full priced adult tickets: €10
- For people over 65 or under €26: 8
- For groups of more than 15 people (with prior reservation): €8
Group Bookings
To make a group booking, please send an email to: prenotazioni.museo@lavazza.com
Lavazza Museum Address
The museum is located right next to the Lavazza corporate building at: Via Bologna, 32 in Turin.
When you enter the museum, you should proceed directly to the giftshop. Here you will check in, buy your tickets if you haven’t already and receive your espresso cup with the RFID. In addition, there are free lockers located outside the giftshop that were great for us to stash our coats and bags.
Is The Lavazza Coffee Museum Worth It?
When you consider everything, like: the global importance of Lavazza, the reasonable cost, your love of coffee history and a chance to take some unique selfies in The Atelier, the answer is a resounding YES!
For more information on all that Torino has to offer, check out some of these other articles as you plan your vacation in the Piedmont region:
- Torino Coffee For Beginners: The Definitive Guide.
- The Famous Torino Caffè Platti Is A Must For Bicerin.
