In 2014, the Valsesian Sports Fishermen Society began the restoration work on the rooms and the exhibits of the fishing museum, after obtaining several premises for free use from the Municipality of Varallo in the historic D'Adda building.
The construction and project were overseen by our friend and member, Architect Gianni Gamondi, who generously dedicated his personal time to the creation of the exhibition halls. These were completed along with the educational workshops and officially inaugurated on May 9, 2015.
The Fishing Museum is a historical representation of a timeless artform and still practised today, no longer as a profession, but mostly as a recreational activity.
In some photos, you can see the fishermen who used to sell their catch of trout and graylings. The skill of these fishermen began with the construction of all the tools they used, which are exhibited in this museum, such as the fishing rods, lines, flies, and so on. Naturally, these tools were used skillfully, as shown in the photographs of the captured specimens on display.
All the stunning fishing environments shown in the photographs are an invitation to come to Valsesia, where the art of fishing is a part of history and where the ancient and the contemporary coexist.
The international recognition of our fishing tradition, especially related to fly fishing, is represented in the exhibition dedicated to the twinning with the traditional fly fishing of the Leon region in Spain and with Tenkara from Japan. The fly fishing of Valsesia is covered in the volume of the American Museum of Fly Fishing, located in the state of Vermont in the United States. Initiatives aimed at young people and those who want to learn are met with educational programs in two specifically equipped rooms, and courses are held periodically by expert instructors. The S.V.P.S. (Valle Sesia Sports Fishermen Society) invites fishermen and anyone interested to visit and explore the Museum free of charge. The Museum is open on the last Saturday of every month from 9:30 AM to 12 PM, entrance is through the rear courtyard of Palazzo D'Adda. Guided tours, by reservation only, can be arranged at the Society's headquarters at Via Durio 22/A or by calling 0163-52093.
