Collection
More than 900 cribs
An ageless experience
The Nativity Museum’s collection has more than 900 nativity scenes differing in age, origin, size and material.
The oldest works, dating back to the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, testify to the variety of styles and materials of the different Italian Schools. During the visit, you can admire splendid examples of Neapolitan nativity scenes from the 18th century, the golden age of artistic nativity scenes, alongside grandiose nativity scenes with a biblical setting created in the 1970s.
A prominent place in the collection is occupied by the Bergamo nativity scene: in the museum there is a reconstruction of a 19th-century craft workshop, which really existed, that made plaster figures. Also in plaster is a precious eighteenth-century Genoese nativity scene, the work of the sculptor Garaventa.
Alongside the ancient examples we find contemporary nativity scene art, testifying to the still current diffusion of this ancient art. Among the most active schools today, very well represented are those in Sicily, Puglia, Sardinia, Liguria and Trentino. Among those in Europe, the wonderful nativity scenes of Spain stand out. In addition, settings can be found with nativities from all continents, from Latin America to Africa, Asia and even Australia.
At the Nativity Museum, visitors can find a specialized library, an archive, a collection of paper nativity scenes, stamps, sacred images, postcards, and music-all pertaining to Christmas and the Nativity.
Minor Collections
The Nativity Museum preserves various objects related to the world of Christmas, including paper cribs, Christmas cards and postcards, holy cards, stamps, fairy tales, stories, Liebig figurines, and telephone cards. A vast collection of more than 10,000 pieces that offers a comprehensive view of our Christmas traditions.
In addition, the presence of a multimedia fund with films, slides, VHS, CDs, and DVDs on Christmas and the world of the nativity scene, along with a music fund containing a collection of Christmas music with sheet music, vinyls, cassette tapes, and music CDs, further enriches the museum experience, offering visitors a variety of resources to fully immerse themselves in the Christmas atmosphere and its artistic representation.