The collection originated from research begun in the late 1970s by the Centro Documentazione Lavoro Contadino [Peasants' Work Documentation Centre] (CEDLAC), instituted by the Provincial Administration of Siena. The Museum, founded in 2002, forms part of the Sienese Museum System.

Housed in an ancient vat-room, it commemorates a social and productive model that has now disappeared, through historic photographs, replicas of various settings flanked by multimedia posts, tools of work and domestic objects coming from different localities (Sovicille, Buonconvento, Palazzo al Piano). The Museum also has a well-equipped educational workshop in which multimedia aids and working models to be put in operation are available, and where education to listening is imparted with the aid of recordings.