Unique of its kind, the Olive Museum in Onelia was established to house a variety of objects collected over decades by the Carli family, which in 1911 set up the Carli Brothers (Fratelli Carli) olive-oil factory. All the exhibits relate directly to the olive, yet touch on very different aspects of it. They tell a fascinating story about customs, costumes, tools, production methods, commerce, without omitting what this sacred tree represents - a tree that has inspired poets, authors and painters since Antiquity. The collection includes several rare objects, antiques and archaeological finds. Housed in a small Art Nouveau mansion, which was built in the 1920s to host the company's headquarters, the museum is divided into sections so as to facilitate visitors. To this day it is surrounded by the olive-oil factory. The same building accommodates a library dedicated to the olive and olive oil, while a cafeteria, a museum shop and a conference room are located in an adjacent smaller building. An olive press with crowbar, from 1600, similar to older Mediterranean examples, stands in the small garden between the two buildings. The Olive Museum received the European Museum of the Year Award for 1993.
