Country: Italy – City: Rome – Address: Italy, Rome, Palazzetto Mattei in Villa Celimontana, Via della Navicella, 12
Exploring the archive: a journey into the Italian Geographical Society
Description:
On the occasion of the European Geography Night 2026, to be held on Friday 10 April, the Italian Geographical Society will offer an exclusive exhibition of its heritage inside the evocative rooms of the 16th century Palazzetto Mattei.
The exhibition will explore the theme of exploration through the SGI Collections, offering visitors a journey through ancient maps, historical photographs, rare books, and technological innovations, along routes extending from the Library to the upper floors of the building. A special focus will be devoted to late nineteenth-century expeditions and to the figure of Ermanno Stradelli (1852–1926), on the centenary of his death, with the aim of presenting to a wide audience the complexity and contemporary relevance of one of the most original Italian explorers and geographers of the nineteenth century.
Thanks to the contribution of the Geographic Research and Application Laboratory of the
European University of Rome (GREAL), one section will be dedicated to transatlantic flights and, on its 100th anniversary, to the expedition of the airship NORGE (1926). The initiative seeks to promote the dissemination of historical, scientific, and cultural knowledge related to the NORGE expedition, engaging a broad and diverse audience. Through hands-on activities, immersive projections, and the display of original materials, the project aims to highlight the Italian–Norwegian collaboration that made the expedition possible and to encourage reflection on themes of international cooperation, exploration, and the construction of national identities.
One room will be devoted to the heritage of transhumance.
The event will unfold along a route through the spaces of Palazzetto Mattei, divided into several thematic stages combining exhibition, storytelling, and technological interaction.
Guided tours, organized in groups, will take place in the afternoon and continue into the late
evening, approximately from 4:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Main objectives:
The GeoNight represents an opportunity for the Italia Geographical Society to open the doors of its headquarters to a non-specialist public, the possibility to make known the treasures and beauty preserved in its archives and to develop the dissemination of past and present geographical knowledge.
Event language: Italian
The event will be: Only in presence
Reference person: Silvia Stecconi – Role or function: deputy secretary-general – Reference organization: Cultural institution
Those who organize are: Academics, Researchers and Conservators
Estimated starting time (local time): 4:30:00 PM
Expected duration: until late at night
Event program: it will be displayed here as soon as possible
GeoNight code: 2026311
