Museums in Como: art, silk and Alessandro Volta
Science, visual art and silk reveal different sides of Como. Choose a museum to match your interests and check access before leaving. A temporarily closed museum remains part of the city’s history, but should not be treated as a guaranteed indoor visit.
Civic Art Gallery, Palazzo Volpi
Como’s Pinacoteca Civica holds the city’s painting and sculpture collections. Historical art sits alongside the story of 20th-century Como, including Futurism and abstraction. The gallery is housed in Palazzo Volpi in the old town.
Planning your visit. Choose it to understand the city through artworks as well as buildings. Allow time for the permanent collection and check temporary exhibitions, tickets and opening arrangements on the municipal museums’ website.
Official source and visitor information
Walk to La Griglia from Civic Art Gallery, Palazzo VolpiGoogle Maps: from Pinacoteca Civica, Via Armando Diaz 84, Como → to La Griglia di Como, Via Rezzonico 2.
Tempio Voltiano
Built in 1928 by architect Federico Frigerio, the Tempio Voltiano houses original instruments and reconstructions associated with Alessandro Volta’s work. The lakeside building connects Como’s scenery with its scientific heritage.
Planning your visit. Combine it with a waterfront walk, but give the exhibits time: the instruments tell the story beyond the façade. Ask the museum about tickets and accessibility; stairs are part of the visitor route.
Official source and visitor information
Walk to La Griglia from Tempio VoltianoGoogle Maps: from Tempio Voltiano, Viale Guglielmo Marconi, Como → to La Griglia di Como, Via Rezzonico 2.
Silk Museum
The Museo della Seta explains silk production, from silkworms and yarn to textile processing. It provides a tangible introduction to Como’s relationship with silk, through materials, techniques and the history of work.
Planning your visit. A good choice for an interest in industry, craft or fashion. It is outside the cathedral–waterfront cluster, so allow for the transfer. Check the museum website for exhibitions, hours and visitor services.
Official source and visitor information
Walk to La Griglia from Silk MuseumGoogle Maps: from Museo della Seta, Via Castelnuovo 9, Como → to La Griglia di Como, Via Rezzonico 2.
Paolo Giovio Archaeological Museum
Housed in Palazzo Giovio, the archaeological museum tells the story of the Como area from prehistory onwards. Opened in 1897, its collections helped shape the city’s wider museum system.
Planning your visit. Check the official page for access before planning an indoor visit: museum buildings may undergo works and redisplay. If unavailable, view the palace outside and consider the art gallery as an alternative, after checking its opening arrangements.
Official source and visitor information
Walk to La Griglia from Paolo Giovio Archaeological MuseumGoogle Maps: from Museo Archeologico Paolo Giovio, Piazza Medaglie d Oro, Como → to La Griglia di Como, Via Rezzonico 2.
Giuseppe Garibaldi Historical Museum
Palazzo Olginati houses collections on the Risorgimento and modern history, along with an ethnographic section. Garibaldi stayed in the palace in 1866. The museum is in the same area as the archaeological museum.
Planning your visit. The official page consulted reports closure for maintenance. Check for updates before travelling. We include it for its historical importance, not as a promise of admission; plan another indoor visit if it remains closed.
Official source and visitor information
Walk to La Griglia from Giuseppe Garibaldi Historical MuseumGoogle Maps: from Museo Storico Giuseppe Garibaldi, Piazza Medaglie d Oro 1, Como → to La Griglia di Como, Via Rezzonico 2.
A break at La Griglia di Como
Find us at Via Rezzonico 2, Como: a family-run Italian restaurant and pizzeria with home-style cooking and seafood dishes. Open 11:30–14:30 and 18:30–23:00; closed on Wednesdays. Check table availability before planning your return.
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By La Griglia di Como · sources checked on 4 October 2026. An independent restaurant guide. Opening, prices, events and transport can change; check the official websites before visiting. Maps calculates routes at the time and does not guarantee step-free access.