Mario and Gianluigi Paffi and Rita Mele

The authors of this guide are the founders of the Museum of Mediterranean Masks of Mamoiada as well as two other local museums: the Museum of Culture and Labor and the Museum of Archeology and Territory (MATER). All three are run by the VISERAS cooperative, in which the authors are partners.

The VISERAS Cooperative Society was formed on 7 June 2001. Currently, it has three partners: Mario Paffi, who manages the museum and exchanges at national and international level; Gianluigi Paffi, who takes care of events and local coordination; and Rita Mele, who is in charge of ethnographic research and organizes tours in the Mamoiada area and children’s workshops. The cooperative manages the development of its museums at national and international level and is part of several national museum associations.

The idea of setting up a Museum of Mediterranean Masks dates back to 2000, when three young university graduates from Mamoiada decided to return to their native region after the end of their studies. Sharing a passion for local traditions, they decided to commit themselves professionally to promoting the culture and costumes of the Mamoiada Carnival. Before the museum was founded, tourist attractions in Mamoiada were practically nonexistent. VISERAS coordinated the involvement of all local players and established a series of integrated tourist itineraries including guided tours of the museums, visits to mask-makers’ workshops, tastings of Sardinia’s Cannonau (Grenache) wine and sampling of other typical local products on the producers’ premises, attendance at the Mamuthones and Issohadores celebrations through cultural associations, and visits to nearby archaeological sites, including those of Orgosolo, also known for its political wall paintings.

Over the years, the number of visitors to Mamoiada and its museums has increased considerably and the activity of the VISERAS cooperative has been recognized for its great contribution to the promotion of regional cultural tourism.