Museo delle Culture «Villa Garibaldi»

About the museum

The museum is housed in Villa Garibaldi, the residence built in 1888 by Ricciotti Garibaldi, the youngest son of Giuseppe and Anita, who spent his summers in Riofreddo and settled there with his family as a confinato (under internal exile) after the Banca Romana scandal. A long rectangular wing with two circular towers, a stable and a garden were added to the small houses originally purchased. Here the children Ezio, Annita Italia and Rosa were born; they continued to live there after the death of their mother in 1941. During the Second World War Rosa and Italia took in Jews and political opponents in the town.

After the death of Anita Italia Garibaldi in 1962, the villa fell into disuse and was completely abandoned. In 2000 the municipality took part in a European call for tenders to redevelop the building and garden and to set up a museum there, opened in 2001 as the Museo delle Culture, with demo-ethno-anthropological, historical and archaeological collections on the territory of Riofreddo and on the Garibaldi family. The east tower wing was purchased in 2002 by the heirs of Ezio Garibaldi, while the west wing was donated to the municipality by Anita Garibaldi Jallet.

At the entrance is the historical section, with three scale models of the main monuments of the town: the Convento di San Giorgio, the Castello Del Drago and the villa itself. On the lower floor the archaeological section displays fossils of Elephas antiquus italicus, Aequi artefacts and finds from the Imperial Roman period; the Garibaldian section holds a wall fresco with the family of Ricciotti and a collection donated by the Stacchetti family in the Torre Ricciotti. The building also houses the municipal library and archive, a conference hall and a room for exhibitions and educational activities.

Highlights

• Villa built in 1888 by Ricciotti Garibaldi
• Fossils of Elephas antiquus italicus and finds of the Aequi
• Scale models of the Convento di San Giorgio, the Castello Del Drago and the villa
• Wall fresco of the family of Ricciotti Garibaldi
• Stacchetti collection in the Torre Ricciotti

Permanent exhibition

• Sezioni storica, archeologica e garibaldina – Scale models of Riofreddo's monuments, fossils of an ancient elephant, Aequi artefacts and Roman finds, memorabilia and documents of the Garibaldi family.

Founded

2001

Operated by

Comune di Riofreddo

Visitors per year

approx. 1,236

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

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

According to the municipality, the museum is accessible to people with disabilities and has toilets.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

The building also houses the municipal library and archive, a conference hall and a room for exhibitions and educational activities.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.