The Antonini Collection of ornamental combs was donated to MUSEC by Gabriella and Giorgio Antonini in the summer of 2016. Eclectic in character, it was built up over a period of forty years. It consists of 1,182 head ornaments from all over the world, dating from the 16th century to the third quarter of the 20th century. The largest part of the collection comprises masterpieces of European workmanship and taste from the mid-19th century to the 1950s. In detail, the collection includes 350 tortoiseshell combs, 300 made of plastic, 100 made of horn, 50 made of ivory and 150 made of metal. More than 200 ornaments, mostly from China, Japan, Indonesia and Oceania, complete the collection. A large number of combs, especially ethnic ones, have been collected directly in the field by collectors since the late 1960s. Others were acquired by rummaging through the market of half of Europe, or from antique dealers or auctions.

From 8.09.2018 to 27.01.2019, MUSEC has dedicated a temporary exhibition temporary exhibition  and a catalogue to the collection.