The Doll Museum is, to this day, one of the most important exhibition areas in Europe dedicated to dolls. As well as the prestigious items already exhibited, in June 2002 a new section was opened, dedicated to French and German automatons dating from the 19th and 20th centuries. The exhibits, which are true mechanical wonders and date from between 1870 and 1920, come from the Petit Musée du Costume in Tours, France and once formed part of the famous collection belonging to Robert and Gisèle Pesché. The collection now belongs to the Borromeo family and is composed not only of automatons but also a large number of dolls, porcelain and ceramics and books and other rare publications. This material will soon all be put on display in the historic rooms of the Rocca Borromeo in Angera. The automatons exhibited are masterpieces born of the genius of master watchmakers and the creativity of sculptors and artisans who modelled the faces and sewed the elegant costumes. The automatons will not fail to amaze you with their slow and rhythmic movements, accompanied by their music boxes playing famous arias often taken from operatic or popular repertory. Magical sound and light effects mark the innovative layout of the exhibition and videos are projected, allowing visitors to see the pieces in movement whilst listening to their music boxes. The exhibits are displayed in one of three thematic sections, which are Music, the Circus and Vices and Virtues. There is plenty of historical and educational information available to support the exhibit, consisting of period material such as sales catalogues and manufacturer's publicity, which complete this fantastic journey through a world that was the precursor of modern technology.