Civilization of Plastic: the Cannon Collection in Pont Canavese

Civilization of Plastic: the Cannon Collection in Pont Canavese

The Cannon-Sandretto Plastic Museum preserves the story of plastics through a collection of more than 2,500 objects. Housed in the Liberty-style representative building of the former Sandretto plant, the museum is part of a cultural hub that also includes a textile manufacturing museum and a machine tool collection.

The exhibition unfolds across two floors and eight rooms, featuring a chronological timeline, display cases and historical photographs that illustrate key moments in the development, industrial use and everyday applications of plastic materials.

• Collection: over 2,500 items gathered through industrial collecting.
• Main themes: origins of plastic materials, thermoplastics and thermosets, industrial history, transport and domestic applications.
• Permanent toy room: a thematic exhibition dedicated to plastic toys, from early bakelite cars to ABS construction sets.
• Sustainability: the museum encourages reuse and does not display single-use plastics; the displays highlight recycling and proper disposal.

The narrative connects technical innovations with the people and companies who developed presses and injection machinery, showing how plastic reshaped daily life and manufacturing processes.

Current status and visiting: the museum is currently closed to the public but is accessible online via a virtual tour with audiovisual content and multimedia insights. Reopening to visitors is expected next spring.

Practical information:

• Type: corporate museum
• Address: c/o ex Fabbrica Sandretto, Via Cav. Modesto Sandretto 16, Pont Canavese (TO), Italy
• Owner: Gruppo Cannon; managed by: Municipality of Pont Canavese
• Website: www.cannonmuseodellaplastica.com

Visitor tip: check the official website before planning your trip for the latest opening information and to access the virtual tour if an in-person visit is not possible.