MUDET - Museo del Tartufo d'Alba

MUDET interprets the Alba white truffle through science, myth and the lives of the trifolao and their dogs, in a former Dominican convent in central Alba.

Why it matters

The white truffle of Alba (Tuber magnatum pico) anchors the city's international fair. MUDET opened on 14 October 2023 through a partnership involving the Comune di Alba, Regione Piemonte, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo, Centro Nazionale Studi Tartufo and other regional partners. Its permanent interpretation covers ancient myths, the botany of a fungus not reliably cultivated at scale, and the culture of truffle hunters and their dogs.

What to notice

The museum spreads over 530 square metres and two floors, organised in four thematic areas with ten rooms. Interpretation combines video, multimedia stations and more than 140 metres of illustration across scientific, ethnographic and legendary themes. The displays address trifolao and their dogs, central to Langhe truffle-hunting culture, as well as curiosities and taboos in local lore. The permanent collection includes Steve McCurry's "Truffle Hunters and Their Dogs", photographed in September 2023 and curated by Maurizio Beucci.

Context and history

The museum occupies a wing of the former Dominican convent of the Maddalena, the monumental complex whose courtyard, the Cortile della Maddalena, already houses Alba's civic museum. Choosing this site keeps the truffle museum inside the historic centre and inside the city's civic museum system. The museum opened on 14 October 2023 during the International White Truffle Fair. McCurry's photographs formed part of its opening presentation, extending the permanent narrative with contemporary perspectives on truffle hunters.