Le rievocazioni storiche al museo - Rome

Inaugurated in the Fall, this special exhibit has been prolonged into late winter due to its incredible popularity.   

 The public is presented with a rich and varied panorama looking back on Italian history through a selection of over 70 full outfits of clothing including accessories and objects of the time.  Inspiration was taken from different historical eras which are embodied by 30 commemorative events taking place throughout Italy.

 Local towns played an active part in the creation of the exhibit by selecting the outfits to lend and offering their assistance in the historical re-enactments of folkloristic events unique to each of their areas.  An insider perspective was attained through the communities commemorating their history.

The project’s intention is to value historical commemoration in terms of cultural expression by the communities where the traditions originated.  

As some historians have pointed out, the historic commemorations and re-enactments have been immensely popular in recent years; however, it is a phenomenon which has not yet been studied in anthropological fields, in a sense even neglected for quite a long time, in favor of more “conventional” themes in the field of Demo-ethno-anthropology.  

There will be numerous initiatives and events to further enrich the exhibit.  The traditions of each community will be explored with folkloristic town events comprising an essential defining feature of local cultures in the past and the present.  In this manner, there will be ample space for the attending public of specialists and admirers of a largely unexplored subject matter, with the promotion of conservation and greater value attributed to a heritage which is at once material and immaterial, an integral part of many local communities in Italy.  

There will be a route through the exhibit which is completely accessible for people with disabilities:  planned and created in close collaboration with the organizers  through CoopAcai Phoeni, a company already involved in cultural activities within the Museum, the ENS- National Association for the Deaf, Omero National Tactile Museum of Ancona, the National Federation of Institutions in Support of the Blind, The Anfass – National Association of Families of Persons with cognitive and/or relational disabilities, the organizations are federal and non-profit, all working in the various planning and construction phases to guarantee access to everyone challenged with any type of disability.

The initiative will have a series of events which will be scheduled throughout the duration of the exhibit which will be entirely accessible to various disabilities: psychological, physical, movement, and sensorial.  The Italian national day dedicated to people with disabilities will also be celebrated within the exhibit.

The planning and creation for this innovative and educational type of curating are based on the active involvement and participation of associations, federations, non-profit associations, and professionals representing communities involved in historical re-enactments as well as associations specializing in these activities.