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The Museum of the Mint and Officinal Plants of Pancalieri, in the province of Turin, was created to treasure the local tradition of peppermint (Mentha x piperita), a medicinal plant grown in the open field in Pancalieriese, an area straddling the provinces of Turin and Cuneo; peppermint was used for the production of essential oil, highly sought by the national and international market.

The museum features the first mint distillers and several ancient tools, as well as the machinery used today, exhibiting documents, herbariums, black and white photographs, and short documentaries about the ancient producers, their work and the process of making essential oils, especially from peppermint.

Outside the museum, the “Garden of Mints” (“Giardino delle Mente”) features a collection of different species and varieties of mint from all over the world, created with the aim of preserving their genetic heritage.

“Via delle Aromatiche” (“Avenue of aromatic plants”) offers, on the other hand, a collection of officinal plants.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)