MILS – Museo delle Industrie e del Lavoro del Saronnese

The collections on display testify to the industrial history of the Saronnese area from the second half of the 19th century to the 1960s and highlight the importance that sectors such as transport, mechanics, textiles, food and electronics had in the life of the Saronnese.
The outdoor exhibition area is entirely dedicated to railway transport represented by historical vehicles of the Ferrovie Nord railways. This is also a recognition of the importance that railways have had in the industrial and economic development of the area.
Two carriages in front of the entrance house a valuable collection of vintage radios donated to the MILS by a collector.
Visitors are welcomed inside the museum by a historic Art Nouveau canopy, originally located at the entrance to Saronno's FNM station.
A typical industrial building with a shed roof houses machinery and objects from the area's 'historical' companies: Ferrovie Nord, FOS, Gianetti Ruote, Parma Casseforti, Isotta Fraschini, CEMSA, Tipografia Padre Monti, De Angeli Frua, LUS, Cotonificio Poss, Molini Canti, FIMI Phonola, Lazzaroni and many other small and medium-sized companies.
Some of these objects are particularly important; by way of example: the armoured case that protected the golden Pallio of the altar of S. Ambrogio altar in Milan; the Phonola 'revolving TV set' with its 'revolutionary' design for the time, which is also exhibited at the MOMA in New York and at the Milan Triennale; the Max Judel switchboard bench at the Milano Cadorna station; the Phonola radio with its design by the Castiglioni brothers and Caccia Dominioni; vintage Lazzaroni machinery and a collection of the famous tin biscuit tins with illustrations by famous artists; an Isotta Fraschini truck used in the battle of El Alamein in Africa; a 1924 FIAT 501 car.