Forest Museum Visitor Center

Located in a splendid centuries-old chestnut grove, the Forest Museum at Poranceto – Baigno is housed in a number of old, restored rural buildings: barn, hayloft and chestnut drying room. The displays in the small hall on the ground floor provide information on the botanical, vegetational and silvicultural characteristics of the four main types of mountain forests: mixed oak forests, chestnut groves, beech woods and replanted conifer forests. On the gallery, with its large glass rear wall looking out into the woods, there's a diorama displaying the forest-fauna relationship, whereas in the charming converted barn on the floor below, visitors can enjoy a historical overview of the relationship between human beings and forests: traditional forest management practices (timber, charcoal) and the chestnut civilization (forest management, its transformation, its products), with the help of two models depicting a charcoal kiln and a chestnut drying room.

Directions:

• Highway A1:
  "Panoramica" -  Exit Pian del Voglio
  "Direttissima" -  Exit Badia
  and head towards Castiglione dei Pepoli, following the directions for Lake Brasimone. At the Passo dello Zanchetto head towards Suviana until you reach Barceda; the road to Poranceto is on your left.

• Porrettana State Road:
  - From Riola di Vergato follow the directions for Lake Suviana, continue to Bargi, pass through Baigno and after Barceda you'll find the road to Poranceto on your right.
  - From Pistoia: from the SS64 state road, turn right at Taviano and follow the directions for Badi Lake Suviana until you reach the dam. Continue on the right to Bargi and then continue with the above directions.

The Visitor Center provides information on the Park's territory (publications, free pamphlets and maps).

Free admission

At this time, due to Covid-19, the Visitor Center cannot be visited, but information material can be found externally.