Le fiabe sono vere... Storia popolare italiana

An exhibition that transforms the MuCiv - Museo delle Civiltà into an open and welcoming space, with a comprehensive system of tools for physical, sensory, cognitive, relational and symbolic accessibility. Curated by Massimo Osanna (Director General of Museums) and Andrea Viliani (Director of MUCIV), with the collaboration of Cristiana Perrella, the project draws from Italo Calvino’s introduction to the 1956 book Fiabe italiane (Italian Fairy Tales): “fairy tales are true” because, by intertwining past and present, memory and current events, individuals and communities, they are a general explanation of life.

The exhibition in the monumental setting of the Palazzo delle Arti e Tradizioni Popolari brings together over 500 works, which visitors can see and touch thanks to drawers and compartments that they are free to open. Paintings and drawings, clothes and masks, amulets and votive offerings, agricultural tools and transport vehicles, musical instruments, toys, photographs, prints and films make up a fascinating account of Italian folk traditions, offering a new perspective on the world around us and the deep connections between past and present.

Guiding visitors through the 12 sections of the exhibition is the original fairy tale written by Elena Zagaglia, centered on the adventures of the protagonist Elio. All the exhibition tools are also available in Italian Sign Language (LIS) and American Sign Language (ASL). A tactile trail with original objects has also been created.