Officine Calderai is a micro museum dedicated to metalworking, founded by the Martinelli Venezia studio and located in the Jewish quarter, on the historic street of the same name in the center of Palermo. The calderai, or quarara (meaning “cauldron” in Sicilian dialect), are artisans specialized in the production of braziers, pans, pots, and other domestic utensils made of copper, aluminum, or steel. They once filled—and still occupy—this street with their workshops. Unlike other “craft streets” found throughout the city, Via Calderai is one of the few that has preserved its original vocation.

The space that now hosts Officine Calderai has always been a vital part of this artisanal district: it was the workshop of Nino Ciminna—the oldest stagnino (tinsmith) on the street, widely regarded as a master—which had remained closed and abandoned since his passing in 2015.

The mission of Officine Calderai is to reopen this historic workshop—now emptied of machinery but still rich with memory—and transform it into a place that preserves, showcases, and promotes the heritage of a craft that is a crucial expression of Palermo’s material culture, yet at risk of disappearing.

Officine Calderai was born from the belief that tradition survives through change. Together with the artisans of the street, it brings to life objects that renew—without erasing—the ancient knowledge of the workshops.

Cento Oliere (“One Hundred Oil Cruets”) is the first exhibition of Officine Calderai: a playful exploration of variations in form and function applied to a humble object, historically made on this very street and emblematic of Italian identity. The exhibition is part of an evolving visual catalog of the workshops along Via Calderai.

The one hundred cruets, designed by Martinelli Venezia, were handcrafted by Paolo Tabbone in his workshop at No. 35. They are available for purchase at the micromuseum and, in the coming months, will also be available for purchase online.

The micro museum also features a small specialty coffee bar.