Museo del Risorgimento Leonessa d'Italia

About the museum

The Museo del Risorgimento di Brescia was among the first created in Italy. Established by public proclamation in 1887, it opened in 1893 at Palazzo Martinengo da Barco, today the seat of the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo. After various displays at Palazzo Tosio and in the Castle, it was reopened in 1959 in the Grande Miglio of the Castle, an ancient granary of the early modern period, and was permanently closed in 2015 for structural problems.

After major restoration and display works, the Museo del Risorgimento Leonessa d’Italia has reopened in the Grande Miglio after twenty years of closure. It also occupies the Piccolo Miglio, another ancient storehouse, where the reception, ticket office and bookshop are located. The new route, in eight sections and narrated in Italian and English, presents the Risorgimento as a European phenomenon, with a narrative that extends to the present day.

The collections were built mainly from donations by citizens to the Civici Musei (civic museums) from the late 19th century onwards: relics, paintings, flags, memorials and sculptures, including the large painting by Jean Adolphe Beaucé, “Il generale Niel sul campo di Medole” (General Niel on the Field of Medole). A central place is reserved for the Dieci giornate (23 March – 1 April 1849), the heroic Brescian resistance against the Austrians, which earned the city the title Leonessa d’Italia (Lioness of Italy). The works are accompanied by a digital collection with slideshows, music tracks, an Atlante del Risorgimento, interactive stations and the “Prove di Risorgimento”, historical texts performed by actors.

Highlights

• Eight sections on the European Risorgimento, narrated in Italian and English
• The Dieci giornate of Brescia in 1849, with paintings by Faustino Joli
• Digital collection: Grande Atlante del Risorgimento, interactive screens and “Prove di Risorgimento”
• Virtual reality experiences on the Risorgimento
• Free EasyGuide on the smartphone via QR code
• In the Grande Miglio of Brescia Castle

Permanent exhibition

• Museo del Risorgimento Leonessa d'Italia – Route in eight sections on the Risorgimento, from the Spring of the Peoples to the Dieci giornate of Brescia, with a digital collection and interactive stations.

Founded

1893

Operated by

Fondazione Brescia Musei

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Free admission on special occasions: the patron saint’s day (15 February), the visitor’s birthday, International Museum Day (18 May), Christmas, Women’s Day, Mother’s and Father’s Day (accompanied by a child), International Teachers’ Day (5 October), and every Thursday from 14:00 for students of Brescian universities and academies.

The €15 Musei ticket gives one entry to each of the four civic museums (Museo di Santa Giulia, Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, Museo del Risorgimento Leonessa d’Italia, Museo delle Armi Luigi Marzoli) and is valid until 22 August 2027. Free admission for licensed guides, journalists, ICOM members, residents of the municipality of Brescia, holders of the Brescia Card and of the Abbonamento Musei Lombardia. It is advisable to buy the ticket online.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Dogs are not admitted to the museum, not even in the open spaces, with the exception of guide dogs for blind people. The Dogs&Museum service with a dog sitter is available by reservation (€10 per hour). There are also parking spaces for disabled people along the road to the Castle.

Kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

The museum has a changing table in the toilet. The VR Experience is designed mainly for a young audience.

Getting there & parking

Bicimia bike-sharing service; Brixia radio taxi on +39 030 35111.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Bookshop; cloakroom with lockers (€1, refunded on return); small refreshment area with a vending machine for hot drinks and snacks, and a relaxation area.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit