Luigi Marzoli Arms Museum

Vista di una delle sale del Museo delle armi con armature

Luigi Marzoli Arms MuseumVia del Castello, 9 - Brescia (BS)Museo delle Armi Luigi Marzoli

Set in the fascinating surroundings of Brescia Castle, the Luigi Marzoli Arms Museum houses one of Europe’s most important collections of ancient arms and armour: a valuable technical and historical heritage that bears witness to the city’s long gunsmithing tradition.

THE MUSEUM

The exhibition route unfolds inside the 14th-century Visconti Keep, surprising visitors with frescoes and historical artefacts, and is laid out in chronological order to illustrate the technological and artistic progress of local arms production through the ages.

The collection, donated to the city by the family of entrepreneur Luigi Marzoli after his death in 1965, includes over 1,400 items: bladed weapons, firearms, defensive arms and artillery, ranging from the 15th to the 19th century.

Among the most significant pieces are the 16th-century suits of armour, infantry breastplates and the famous canne gardonesi (Gardone gun barrels), international symbols of Brescia’s arms production.

Marzoli dreamed that his collection could become a source of inspiration for the community’s artisans, apprentices and mechanics, and today the Museum honours this mission by combining historical memory with immersive storytelling, showcasing the ingenuity and unmistakable craftsmanship of Brescia’s gunsmiths to every visitor.