HISTORY

“ Men, days and work”

On May 22nd, 1996 the Associazione Promotori del Padiglione del Mare e della Navigazione is created in Genoa. It looks like and extraordinary lap forward. And it is. Because on that day, Genoa started to redesign and promote its cultural and historical maritime heritage.

A timeline that unites past, present and future through 20 years of activity and passion

Genoa, a Maritime Republic, a naval power, a financial hub thanks to the richness created by its intense traffics, main port and crossroad for migrants, since 1996 had no place celebrating its history and stories. There is no museum that can host all that material and show it in a modern and interactive way to the many tourists who in 1992 start to discover that Genoa is much more than a mere industrial city.

Thanks to the publisher Gianmarco Tormena’s passion and to Pierangelo Campodonico’s knowledge, two shows are organized in Genoa at two of the places that at the time were the engines of the city’s cultural life. Dal Mediterraneo all’Atlantico (From the Med to the Atlantic), an history of the seamanship in Liguria at Palazzo Ducale in 1993 and Capitani coraggiosi (Brave Captains) on sailing ships and sailors in the 19th century, set at the Acquarium in 1994.

The success of these events comes as a flash: the shipping companies should be involved and an association must be created. It should aim at promoting and showing the extraordinary richness hidden in the stores of the Museo Navale, a space that is no enough and up-to date.

Image module

Gianmarco Tormena and Pierangelo Campodonico catalyse an energy that positively infects the Genovese shipping at the end of the century.

The Associazione Promotori del Padiglione del Mare e della Navigazione is born, because part of the exhibits from the Museo Navale are in the Magazzini del Cotone, in the old port of Genoa.

It’s the beginning of a fantastic adventure, as every story of the sea is. But in this case the story did not remain closed in a drawer or written in a book. With the typical stubbornness of the people living on and close to the sea we created a museum that is not a mere celebration of the past but is always looking at new horizons.

Retracing this timeline you will see how we got to a new starting point.

Image module
  • 01
      2023

    Glimpses between past and present

    The Association of Promoters of the Maritime Museums, in collaboration with the Galata Maritime Museum, the Giuliana and Paolo Clerici Foundation, and the Cambiaso Risso Group, organized the first exhibition of the Leoni Archive “Glimpses Between Past and Present.” The exhibition highlights the fundamental values that guided Francesco Leoni during his career and were passed down to his children, Andrea and Paola Leoni, who are also photographers. The Paolo and Giuliana Foundation acquired the Francesco Leoni Photographic Archive, a rich collection of over three million images taken from the 1930s to the 1990s that depict Genoa. The Leoni Archive is open to the public by appointment by writing to the email address archivioleoni@muma.genova.it.

  • 01
      2022

    Arrival in the Submarine Dock

    After twelve years since its conversion into a museum, the Nazario Sauro returned to the La Spezia arsenal for refurbishment work and came back to the dock on July 15, 2022, welcomed by the Italian national anthem, local authorities, and a cheering crowd. The coordination and organization of this complex operation were managed by the Association of Promoters of the Maritime Museums.

  • 12
      2021

    25th Anniversary

    We have been supporting for 25 years with passion the culture to contribute the growth and the development of the Polo Museale Marittimo  

  • 12
      2020

    Rearrangement of the Mirador terrace

    After twelve yeas since its realisation, the Terrace is remade with new caption panels and a refreshed vegetation.

  • 12
      2019

    Incontri in Blu

    The second exhibition of the overview of the encounters devoted to all the enthusiasts of the Storie del Mare

A timeline that unites past, present and future through 20 years of activity and passion

Genoa, a Maritime Republic, a naval power, a financial hub thanks to the richness created by its intense traffics, main port and crossroad for migrants, since 1996 had no place celebrating its history and stories. There is no museum that can host all that material and show it in a modern and interactive way to the many tourists who in 1992 start to discover that Genoa is much more than a mere industrial city.

Thanks to the publisher Gianmarco Tormena’s passion and to Pierangelo Campodonico’s knowledge, two shows are organized in Genoa at two of the places that at the time were the engines of the city’s cultural life. Dal Mediterraneo all’Atlantico (From the Med to the Atlantic), an history of the seamanship in Liguria at Palazzo Ducale in 1993 and Capitani coraggiosi (Brave Captains) on sailing ships and sailors in the 19th century, set at the Acquarium in 1994.

The success of these events comes as a flash: the shipping companies should be involved and an association must be created. It should aim at promoting and showing the extraordinary richness hidden in the stores of the Museo Navale, a space that is no enough and up-to date.

Image module

Gianmarco Tormena and Pierangelo Campodonico catalyse an energy that positively infects the Genovese shipping at the end of the century.

The Associazione Promotori del Padiglione del Mare e della Navigazione is born, because part of the exhibits from the Museo Navale are in the Magazzini del Cotone, in the old port of Genoa.

It’s the beginning of a fantastic adventure, as every story of the sea is. But in this case the story did not remain closed in a drawer or written in a book. With the typical stubbornness of the people living on and close to the sea we created a museum that is not a mere celebration of the past but is always looking at new horizons.

Retracing this timeline you will see how we got to a new starting point.

Image module
  • 01
      2023

    Glimpses between past and present

    The Association of Promoters of the Maritime Museums, in collaboration with the Galata Maritime Museum, the Giuliana and Paolo Clerici Foundation, and the Cambiaso Risso Group, organized the first exhibition of the Leoni Archive “Glimpses Between Past and Present.” The exhibition highlights the fundamental values that guided Francesco Leoni during his career and were passed down to his children, Andrea and Paola Leoni, who are also photographers. The Paolo and Giuliana Foundation acquired the Francesco Leoni Photographic Archive, a rich collection of over three million images taken from the 1930s to the 1990s that depict Genoa. The Leoni Archive is open to the public by appointment by writing to the email address archivioleoni@muma.genova.it.

  • 01
      2022

    Arrival in the Submarine Dock

    After twelve years since its conversion into a museum, the Nazario Sauro returned to the La Spezia arsenal for refurbishment work and came back to the dock on July 15, 2022, welcomed by the Italian national anthem, local authorities, and a cheering crowd. The coordination and organization of this complex operation were managed by the Association of Promoters of the Maritime Museums.

  • 12
      2021

    25th Anniversary

    We have been supporting for 25 years with passion the culture to contribute the growth and the development of the Polo Museale Marittimo  

  • 12
      2020

    Rearrangement of the Mirador terrace

    After twelve yeas since its realisation, the Terrace is remade with new caption panels and a refreshed vegetation.

  • 12
      2019

    Incontri in Blu

    The second exhibition of the overview of the encounters devoted to all the enthusiasts of the Storie del Mare