Magnificent Homeland 1426-2026 – Exhibition at MuSa in Salò

2026 marks 600 years since the birth of the Magnifica Patria, the federation of Garda municipalities that placed itself under the protection of the Republic of Venice in 1426. To celebrate the anniversary, the MuSa – Museum of Salò is hosting the major exhibition “Magnifica Patria 1426 – 2026. Six hundred years of history between Garda and Venice,” from March 29 to October 4, 2026.

The exhibition traces six centuries of relations between the Garda Riviera and the Serenissima through an immersive room, historical maps, period documents, and memorabilia chronicling the political, economic, and cultural evolution of the Garda area under Venetian rule and beyond.

Salò was the capital of the Magnifica Patria and the seat of the Venetian Provveditore: the town still preserves in its historic center traces of that role-most notably the Palazzo della Magnifica Patria, overlooking the lakefront, where the General Council of representatives of the federation’s municipalities met.

Practical information

• Venue: MuSa – Museo di Salò, Via Brunati 9, Salò (BS)
• Period: March 29-October 4, 2026
• Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (closed on Mondays)
• Tickets: €9 full / €7 reduced (students, over 65, residents) / €5 children 7-18 years old / free under 7 and disabled
• Reservations: museodisalo.it – tel. 0365 20553

Side events

In parallel, from April 26, 2026, MuSa also presents “TOURIST! The Fascination of Garda Travel,” an exhibition dedicated to the history of Garda tourism. On the side, the Cultural Circle of Philately, Numismatics and Militaria of Salò opens at Fondaco Coen an exhibition of documents, coins and memorabilia related to the Magnifica Patria.

An ideal visit to combine with a stroll through the historic center of Salò: Piazza Duomo, the lakefront, and the Loggia with its string of arches and colonnades that still dialogues with the history of the Serenissima on Lake Garda.

Update: until 4 October 2026 only the immersive room (a 15-minute audiovisual installation) remains open; the section with documents, maps and volumes from the Historical Archive closed on 28 June.