Origin and perspectives

The MUCIV celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Museo Preistorico ed Etnografico Luigi Pigorini with an exhibition that traces the fascinating history of this institution. Founded in 1876, the Pigorini was the first nucleus of what became the current Museo delle Civiltà, custodian of nearly 2 million objects. The journey combines original artifacts, archival documents, and multimedia installations to tell the evolution of museographic and anthropological practices. From prehistoric collections to extra-European ethnographies, the exhibition questions how museums have constructed their views of other cultures. This retrospective also offers the opportunity to reflect on the contemporary issues of ethical museology and restitution. A journey through time that illuminates the origins of Italian anthropology and the future perspectives for a museum reimagined.