Alessandria: Fortress, Museums and Italian Culture

Alessandria Between Art, Fortress and Science

Alessandria offers you an unusually diverse cultural journey through art, archaeology, natural sciences and military history. In the Sale d'Arte, the medieval section includes frescoes from the late 14th century inspired by the stories of King Arthur. The Sale d'Arte also display significant works and art objects from the collections of Alessandria. There you will encounter both medieval imagery and other examples of local art.

The Cittadella as a Historical Highlight

The Cittadella of Alessandria is one of the most magnificent European examples of permanent 18th-century fortification architecture. It can be visited free of charge every day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. In addition, FAI organises 30-minute guided tours of the Cittadella on Saturdays and Sundays.

Planetarium, River Landscape and Natural Sciences

The Teatro delle Scienze brings several scientific subjects together under one roof: it includes a natural history museum, a planetarium and an astronomical laboratory. The venue also features a scale model that reconstructs the river landscape of the Alessandria area. The digital projections in the planetarium recreate a starry sky with 6,500 stars. The range therefore extends from the regional landscape to astronomical observation.

Everyday History at the Gambarina Museum

The ethnographic museum C'era una Volta is located in an 18th-century barracks known as Gambarina Vecchia. Using themed domestic and social scenes, the Gambarina Museum reconstructs central public and private aspects of the lives of rural society during the transition from the 19th to the 20th century. The exhibition space extends over two floors and covers approximately 1,600 square metres.

Archaeology and Regional Collections

At the museum in Palazzo Cuttica, you can see works and art objects that mainly originate from the Alessandria area. The archaeological collection of Cesare Di Negro Carpani includes finds from pre-Roman and Roman times. This collection is of particular importance for reconstructing the state of knowledge about prehistory and ancient history in the Alessandria and Tortona area.

Practical Information for Your Cultural Trip

The Borsalino Museum is open from Thursday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; the last admission is at 5:30 p.m. The municipal museum network of Alessandria comprises four public and private museums and promotes art, archaeology, natural sciences and the region’s diverse cultural heritage.

Exploring the City Between Well-Known and Hidden Places

The Alexala initiative Percorsi Urbani presents routes in Alessandria between iconic monuments and hidden corners for tourists and residents.

Discover further destinations in the shared travel area via Carpeneto, Montaldo Cosola, Carrosio, Rocca Grimalda, Cuccaro Monferrato, Tortona, Fabbrica Curone and Novi Ligure.

For the higher-level travel overview: Alessandria.