Inside, you can retrace the ‘evolution’ of linen, starting from its cultivation, through the various stages of processing, to the creation of fabrics and the making of wonderful traditional clothes. The Museum of Traditional Costume and Linen Processing is located in Busachi, a village in the historical region of Barigadu, which boasts a deep-rooted tradition linked to costumes: it is one of the few places in Sardinia where it is still worn in everyday life. The exhibition is located in the rooms of the deconsecrated church of San Domenico, which dates back to the 16th century and was once part of a Dominican monastery. Not surprisingly, it is known locally as su cunventu.

The quality of Busachi linen has been famous since the 19th century, as reported in evidence provided by authors such as Alberto Della Marmora and Vittorio Angius. Until the spread of cotton and industrial fabrics, the village’s economy was mainly based on the trade of linen fabrics and clothes, made by the women of the village. Today, this art only survives in a few homes, where objects and products, like the headscarves worn by the elderly women of the village, are made. When visiting the museum, you can admire the men’s and women’s clothes, used in the various phases of life, from the most important moments - ceremonies and festivities - to everyday ones, as well as the clothes worn during periods of mourning and garments for babies, children and teenagers. In a specific section of the museum, located in the side chapel and in the sacristy, you can learn more about the linen production process, from the flower to the finished product.

Also on display are the tools required for processing: ploughs, mallets and scutching machines for beating and removal of fibres from the stems, hackles, spindles, warping machines and looms. At the end of the itinerary, products made entirely of local linen are on display, with fascinating embroidery. The museum actively organises projects and workshops, with the aim of passing on knowledge and manual skills, to keep the cultural heritage linked to linen processing alive. You can take a deep dive into the traditions of Busachi by visiting the museum on the days during the festival of su succu, the traditional dish of the village, made of thin strips of dried pasta, cooked in mixed meat broth and seasoned with casu axedu, dry cheese and saffron. The festival is linked to the celebration of the ancient Busachi wedding, preceded by the ceremony of su presente: a procession of women in traditional dress parading through the streets of the village, carrying bread, sweet foods and pasta in baskets, used to prepare the typical dish, tasted at the end of the ceremony, with music and dancing.