Museo: MUMAC – Museo della Macchina per Caffè Cimbali Group

Welcome to MUMAC!

In this section, the visitor will have a first overview of the peculiarities of MUMAC in a short visit that, however, does not overlook the fundamental points of the evolution of the coffee machine over time, with some references to technologies, design, and customs related to the consumption of the beverage.

Welcome to MUMAC! In this journey, we will invite you to discover MUMAC in its peculiarities in a short visit that nevertheless does not overlook the fundamental points of the evolution of the coffee machine over time, with some references to technologies, design, and customs related to the consumption of the beverage. However, before delving into your journey, take a moment and stop here, in the hall to begin to savor the history, curiosities, and details of this place. This museum was established in 2012, inside the headquarters of Gruppo Cìmbali, here in Binasco. It was created on the occasion of the centenary of the company's foundation, which took place in 1912 by Giuseppe Cìmbali in Milan, and it is the largest permanent exhibition dedicated to the history, world, and culture of professional espresso coffee machines. It is a corporate museum that goes beyond the concept of a corporate museum: inside, it exhibits not only the machines of the Group's brands (La Cìmbali, Faema, Casadio, Slayer), but all the brands that have constituted the milestones of the sector.

From the outside to the inside

This section takes us from the outside to the inside of the Museum.

Outside, you may have noticed the mural that surrounds the perimeter of MUMAC: we invite you to approach the panel in front of the reception to discover its meaning and details. Once you have crossed the gate, you found yourself in front of the red building that houses the museum: an architectural project among the most interesting examples of contemporary museum architecture. You will certainly have noticed in the garden a huge white cup standing in front of the red slats, inviting you from the entrance to interact with the museum, for a very... "social" photo opportunity! Inside, thanks to the collections of the Cìmbali family and Enrico Maltoni, the world's largest collector of coffee machines, the museum exhibits over 100 machines and tells over a century of the history of the evolution of an entire sector of Made in Italy, not only from a technological point of view, but also in terms of the design and style of the products and the customs related to the consumption of the beverage. If you want to learn more about the museum and the other 250 machines in the collection, we invite you to follow the complete in-depth itinerary. Now, leaving the Hall and the Cafeteria on your left (unless you want to enjoy a great coffee first!), you can proceed past the brown dividing panel on which the museum map is represented: but first, if you want to get oriented, take a look at it! On the left, a large "Welcome" tells you about the philosophy of MUMAC (if you would like to read or listen to it, click on the introductory itinerary - an espresso please).

Albori Hall

This section is dedicated to Italy between the late 19th century and the first two decades of the 20th century with the room of the Beginnings.

Now, having passed the brown dividing wall and with your back to it, you find yourselves in Italy between the end of the 19th century and the first two decades of the 20th century. You are in the Dawn room, and in front of you, there is a series of beautiful machines with Liberty-style finishes and decorations, in a column. Yes, because the first machines were not born as we are used to seeing them, horizontal, but were created vertically: as a "column" indeed! The photos on the walls, the large counter, the machines, the advertising images tell us that we are in a moment of great ferment and innovation. The industrial revolution, the first cars, the steam train allow us to shorten the distances towards new things and the future, with a speed previously unknown.

Birth and characteristics of Espresso

This section explains the origin and distinctive characteristics of an espresso coffee.

On the left, you see the first piece to focus your attention on: it is the invention by Angelo Moriondo from Turin in 1884. Although still far from the development of the first espresso machines, it has the merit of being the first to use steam for extracting the beverage and offering a quality drink to the increasingly numerous enthusiasts. However, the coffee is not yet "espresso", that is, dispensed "cup by cup", but rather "instant", as it is still prepared in quantities. Two of these patented machines, but never commercialized, were proudly displayed at the Gran Caffè Ligure of the Moriondo family for the public service of "instant" coffee, as defined by Moriondo himself. But what do we mean by espresso coffee then? And when was it born? To understand this, look at the Ideal machine on your right. In 1901, Luigi Bezzera from Milan invented the single dispensing group present in this machine. Look at the filter holder with one or more spouts and the attachment system to the main body of the machine: they were already very similar to today's ones, don't you think? The dispensing group that produces coffee "cup by cup", in fact, marks the birth of espresso coffee, that is, coffee made expressly, that is, at the moment and quickly, upon the express request of the customer. But this coffee, although "espresso", was very different from what we are used to today: it was produced with steam, therefore rather burnt, boiling, and black without crema, a characteristic that would come more than 4 decades later. Desiderio Pavoni obtained the use of the patent and applied the invention to the Ideal machine. The machine was first exhibited at the Milan International Exhibition in 1906 at Luigi Bezzera's stand, and from that moment on, the sector took off.

The historical group

This section focuses on the historical group of the company at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Now, turn around. Look at the large photo on the brown divider panel: it portrays the workers of a workshop where the figure from which the Cìmbali story begins is present. Standing on the left, with his arms crossed, a young Giuseppe Cìmbali, a pioneer among pioneers: this photo documents that in 1906, Giuseppe Cìmbali was already active in the industry and was creating the machines that would soon be presented to the world, precisely at the Milan exhibition. From his apprenticeship to the opening of his workshop in 1912, several more years pass, and even more for the production of his first coffee machine in the early '30s. But at the dawn, he was already there. Instead, in the central photo on the partition wall of the room, on the left, you can see the photograph of the Bezzera stand and discover in detail Mr. Luigi next to a sign declaring the collaboration with Pavoni.

Room Two: 1929 - 1947

This section focuses on Sala Due which analyzes a historical period between 1929 and 1947.

Now move on to the second room. As you can see, this room is distinctly different from the previous one in terms of the style of the machines, which reflects the rationalist current of the time. After the First World War and the Wall Street crash of 1929, Western countries experienced serious problems in every aspect of economic, productive, and social life, with severe consequences. Each state tried autonomously to contain the crisis. It was a difficult, complex period of forced immobility that led Italy to sink into a regime that included state intervention plans, colonial wars, and autarchy. The entire Italian industry, except for the war industry, suffered a setback. However, the world of coffee machines, within its niche of the few consumers who could aspire to this luxury, continued its path. While national consumption decreased, peaks of consumption were observed in large urban areas, dictated by the concentration of well-off customers who did not want to give up a real espresso. Thus, public places grew and became meeting and cultural places. Technological innovation, however, came to a halt, and the machines still operated on steam, although the ritual of the espresso cup prepared at the counter and served at the table was maintained. The machines replicated in their lines the style of the rationalist current, simple and functional, characterized by essential geometric lines. Every decoration, every concession to "beauty" was considered superfluous. The coffee machine, like any other work tool, is beautiful because it fulfills a useful function, while decoration remains a legacy to be left in the past. Even the brands reflected the spirit of the time and were represented according to the dictates of the era. In this period, Giuseppe Cìmbali introduced his first coffee machine to the market, La Cìmbali Rapida, a vertically developed machine, in line with other models of the time, which you can admire right at the beginning of the path in the room. In the early forties, vertical machines started to become horizontal, and performance improved. Another accessory that was previously impossible to have in vertical machines also appeared: the cup warmer. The autarchic period of rationing raw materials also led to the production of hybrid machines to overcome the difficulty of accessing energy sources, with machines that could run on gas, electricity, but also coal, such as the San Marco 900, which you can find at the end of the long row of machines in the central part of the room. With the beginning of the Second World War, much of Italian inventiveness inevitably stopped, setting aside improvements that would have to wait for better times. One of these revolutionary innovations would concern the coffee machine but would take almost a decade to be realized. We are talking about the invention of the lever extraction and the birth of crema coffee, which we will discuss in the next room. But in this room, we must take a look at the machine still considered the most beautiful in the world: the D.P. 47, renamed La Cornuta for the horn-shaped dispensing groups, designed in 1947 by Gio Ponti for La Pavoni. Despite its unparalleled beauty, La Cornuta was, however, steam-powered in a transitional period towards a new extraction method that would soon surpass all others: the lever.

Room from the 1950s

This section focuses on the new technologies and blends invented between the forties and fifties.

To discover the new technology, you can go to the third room. As soon as you enter, you can see on the left display case a dissected piston next to a horizontal coffee machine with two boilers. This is the new technological revolution that finally brings us to the espresso coffee as we know it today: with the "crema". It is the Gaggia Classica machine from 1948 equipped with the "lever" mechanism. A decade earlier, Achille Gaggia, a little-known Milanese barista, had acquired an initial invention, experimenting with it inside his Bar Achille, and later improved it, but everything was interrupted due to the war. However, at the end of the conflict, we witness a unique moment in Italy's history of economic and social recovery oriented towards innovation. The bar becomes a place of gathering and sharing, no longer reserved for an elite but an ideal meeting place for everyone, consecrating coffee at the bar as a social ritual that transcends class distinctions. People gather to watch television, a tool for aggregation and social change, to read the newspaper, to discuss sports and politics, to spend time in company, as well as to sip a new type of coffee extracted from the first lever machines. The lever invention is finally applied and put into production in 1948. For the production of the first machine model, the Classica, Gaggia turned to Carlo Ernesto Valente, who had founded FAEMA in 1945. Thanks to the lever, the machine allows for high pressure and water at a temperature below one hundred degrees, without generating steam. For the first time, the essential oils of coffee are no longer burned by steam; their aromas give fullness to the taste of the drink, and with their emulsion, they create the typical espresso crema, which from now on is inseparable from the concept of espresso consumed at the bar. The new technology elevates espresso to a cult and transforms the figure of the "macchinista" (machine operator), the one who previously operated the coffee machine thanks to his fireman's license, into a "banconista" (counter attendant), an expert user of the lever machine, then positioned on the counter, facing the customer. Even espresso adopts new names, depending on the company producing the machines. The inscriptions on the front panels of the machines differ by brand, as you can see clearly in this room. On the Gaggia, the inscription reads "Crema caffè naturale" (Natural coffee cream). On the machine displayed next to it, the Faema Saturno, the first lever machine produced by Valente after the separation from Gaggia, is labeled "Infuso Idrocompresso di Caffè" (Hydro-compressed Coffee Infusion). But above all, in these years, a new term emerges that will soon identify Italian espresso worldwide: Cìmbalino. The term is coined with the launch of the first lever machine by Cìmbali, the Gioiello, presented in a display case like a jewel at the Milan Fair in 1950. You can see the machine a little further ahead, still on the white counter. We invite you to stop and discover some of the other remarkable machines present (they are truly remarkable) and deepen your knowledge through captions and QR codes present or by following the complete and detailed itinerary. But here, in the center of the room, there is also a vintage Faema-branded counter where, if you wish, you can take a photograph behind the counter just like a "banconista" from that era.

Room of the 60s-70s

This section focuses on the period between the 60s and 70s and on the related design boom.

Continuing into the next room, we find ourselves in the room dedicated to the 1960s and 1970s and the design boom. These are the years of economic boom and widespread prosperity. Years in which, from the triumphs of Coppi and Bartali from the previous decades, heroes of a poor and rural country and of a nation yet to be invented, we move on to Merckx, the first modern cyclist. The champion (and the FAEMA jersey worn by him) is talked about in bars, where people gather to discuss the news reported by the "Gazzetta" and the radio, then by the TV. Coffee and cycling, an inseparable combination that persists even today. In this room, you can find some mementos from the most glorious period of Faema's cycling history, a team that won everything there was to win during its golden era. During these years, the true industrialization of the coffee machine sector begins, with machines becoming standardized and easily assembled on assembly lines. Production shifts from artisanal to industrial. The decade opens with an innovation introduced by FAEMA with the launch of a truly innovative coffee machine, which you can find upon entering the room on the left. The Faema E61 continuous brewing machine has become an icon in the world of bars for its aesthetics and quality of the coffee it produces. All the heavy and dangerous work previously required by piston and lever maneuvers is replaced by the simple use of a lever which, thanks to an electric pump, produces the 9 bars required for espresso extraction, lightening and simplifying the work of the barista. Facing the E61, you can see another noteworthy machine; the Cìmbali Pitagora, designed in 1962 by the brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, architects and designers, who are awarded, for this project, the Compasso d'Oro: for the first and only time in history, a professional espresso coffee machine wins this prestigious award. In the showcase at the beginning of the corridor, you have the opportunity to see the award and some documents related to the award ceremony, including the jury's motivation. For the production of Pitagora and to meet the needs of a larger and more suitable space for mass production, La Cìmbali moved in those years from Milan to Binasco. American influence is once again felt and, in the field of design, pop culture prevails, with bright colors aimed at expressing a disruptive self-affirmation. Work and society impose increasingly frantic rhythms, coffee is consumed on the go, and greater productivity of the counter is favored, with more space to serve customers. The machines are thus confined to the back-counter area, forcing the barista to turn their back on the customer during preparation. It's just a shift of a few meters, but it marks an epochal turning point in aesthetics and relationships. Among the noteworthy machines in this room is the La Cìmbali M15, designed by Rodolfo Bonetto, which anticipates the aforementioned trends. It is the first model to take on a "C"-shaped side profile to compact the volumes while providing more lateral maneuvering space for the barista.

Room 80s-90s

This section focuses on the creative and technological ferment that also affected the world of coffee between the 1980s and 1990s.

Moving into the next room, that of the 1980s and 1990s, there is a change of pace. The economic recovery is progressing, with fashion and design driving the economy and the "Made in Italy" brand in a world that is becoming increasingly globalized. Even coffee machine manufacturers are entering international markets, achieving almost immediate success. This is the period when the Italian electronics industry, along with that of the first computers, conquers markets. The same happens in the professional coffee machine sector, where Italy becomes increasingly representative as an expression of style and "bien vivre", and where the ritual of barista coffee and cappuccino gain popularity abroad. The electronics in the machines lead to a simplification of use combined with care and excellence that were previously unattainable. With the FAEMA Tronic, designed in 1983 by Ettore Sottsass and Aldo Cibic, the first electronic machine is born, which, with its control panel, allows the dosing of the dispensed coffee. It also accelerates the development of "super-automatic" machines with full automation, capable of dispensing an entire menu of coffee and milk-based beverages simply by pressing a button. In this room, electronics, games, colors, accessories, images, and machines that represented an era that transcends the 1980s to the 1990s are mixed. In the early 1990s, Italy ranks fifth among industrial powers. In the field of coffee machines, improvements are made in energy efficiency, use, ergonomics, and new materials with a lower environmental impact are favored, paying attention to the safety and health of users and consumers. In this room, it is worth taking a look at the FAEMA E91, born for its aesthetic part from the pencil of Giugiaro Design, inspired by the harmonious lines of the historic E61 model, and at the super-automatic La Cìmbali M50 Dolcevita.

The new millennium

This section focuses on the new trends of the new millennium dominated by the search for flexibility and accountability.

Passing into the sixth room, one is temporarily transported into our millennium, where the keywords become flexibility and responsibility. On the walls of the room, large photographs take us back over the last two decades of contemporaneity, from the birth of the euro, to the awareness of the need for sustainability, to major technological innovations, such as the James Webb Space Telescope. The spread of coffee consumption globally and changes in social dynamics influence consumption patterns. A good coffee or cappuccino is also enjoyed in the waiting room of a train station or airport, in a bookstore or boutique, anywhere in the world. The early years of the new millennium see a return to minimalism in architecture and common spaces, which is also reflected in the world of coffee machines: clean, elegant, and essential lines, almost satin and impactful materials. There is also a growing attention to coffee culture and product quality, a trend that leads to the emergence of a true community of enthusiasts, professional bartenders, and coffee specialists. At the same time, professional machines are becoming increasingly flexible and technologically advanced, with extremely simple user interfaces, even touch, combining energy efficiency with high performance, demonstrating a growing awareness of the environment as a place not only to live in but also to protect. In 2012, for its Centenary, Gruppo Cìmbali inaugurates the MUMAC. Gruppo Cìmbali has brought to the market machines that dare in terms of shapes and technology, to make the machine increasingly "flexible" and suitable to meet every need: from coffee specialists (coffee sommeliers), to traditional bartenders, and, of course, to end consumers. Today's machines are super technological in both their traditional and super-automatic expressions. These are also the years of major rebranding efforts that, with references to the past, project into the future. The La Cìmbali and Faema brands are also subject to a rebranding that responds to the need to meet the demands of an increasingly attentive consumer who is aware of the need for consistency between brand, purpose, and product. A rebranding that, in 2021, sees LaCìmbali M200 and Faemina as the first respective representatives to introduce the new logos into the world. The latest generation machines acquire a sense of style combined with sustainability and functionality. And they interact. Among themselves and with people, in a synesthesia of function and aesthetics. Energy saving, consumption monitoring, and recyclable materials become the keywords of a new awareness. The desire and taste for a coffee prepared with artistry remain constant, a quintessential break, a moment to find oneself in a time that is only ours, in the heart of one's home as well as in the bar. In every sense. Because ultimately, the question is only one: shall we have a coffee?

Lab: culture, technology, and future in a cup

This section is dedicated to the Lab where culture and technology tell the future in a cup.

In the last room of the museum, the Lab, memory and future blend in the icons of time. Innovating from tradition means renewing ideas, giving a new meaning to the milestones of history, inventions, practices, and customs. Here, you are welcomed by true thematic islands, leading you through past, present, and future dimensions that intertwine to make you understand the challenges faced over time by the company, encompassing technological insights, innovations, social and cultural corporate responsibilities, and achieved milestones. The representation of the union between present, past, and future is characterized by the photographs on the walls, coming from the Hubble and Webb telescopes that take us directly into a past so remote as to be unimaginable, through a technology so innovative as to touch the future. A new space dedicated to the infinite connection between past, present, and future through seven thematic islands that illustrate some of the most important themes for our history and corporate mission. To discover them, proceed by turning right immediately. The first island is dedicated to Faema E61: history and myth. Since 1961, the most widespread and long-lasting machine. The second one narrates the difference between traditional machines and super-automatic ones. The difference has been there for over 50 years. In the third island, some past company house organs are exhibited. Tools for communication and dissemination, created to spread company information within the company. In the next one, next to the Cìmbali S15, the "electronic nose" is exhibited, an object that, between electronics, ingenuity, and chemistry, transforms innovation into a useful tool. To discover how it works and what it is used for, simply scan the QR code found on the caption. Then move on to the island dedicated to grinders and dosers. Four dosers for two brands, from yesterday to today. From craftsmanship to mass production with increasingly precise grinding technology. Until integrated grinding in super-automatic machines. In the following one, the focus is on customization: the flexibility and the possibility to customize the machine's faceplates to fit into any environment. In the second-to-last display, the section dedicated to home use: Faema brings to the domestic market a top-level product for espresso like at the bar. In the last island, the brand's excellence with the rebranding in a machine, M200 flagship of La Cìmbali. Finally, crossing the museum's last threshold and entering its red heart, heritage and future converge in a work, an installation suspended between technology, art, and design: the exploded view of La Cìmbali M100, the Centennial machine. Here, you can truly understand the complexity hidden behind what is only seemingly a simple cup of coffee. Technological soul, innovation, design reveal all the hands and minds of a long and complex supply chain made of raw materials, patents, creativity, and entrepreneurship.