Museo Borsalino (Museo del Cappello)

The Borsalino Museum in Alessandria traces the history of the hatmaking company founded by Giuseppe Borsalino in 1857. Its collection includes more than two thousand hats and objects documenting the craft and industry behind the brand.

Why it matters

Borsalino grew from a felt-hat workshop into an internationally recognised manufacturer. The museum preserves the story of a company that helped make Alessandria known around the world and connects industrial history with fashion, design and the city's identity.

What to notice

The collection spans the history of hatmaking, from felt production to finished styles such as the fedora. Displays also document the craft processes of felting, blocking and finishing, and the evolution of the company's products and visual identity.

Context and history

Giuseppe Borsalino founded his workshop in Alessandria in 1857. The company moved to a purpose-built factory on Corso Cento Cannoni in 1888 and expanded production in the following decades. The firm received a Grand Prix at the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition. The museum opened in 2006 and later reopened in a renewed form in 2023, presenting the company's industrial and design history.