Biblioteca delle Arti

The Biblioteca delle Arti is Reggio Emilia's specialised library for archaeology and art history, developed alongside the civic museums. Its collections preserve the scholarly background to the city's study of objects, monuments and artistic traditions.

Why it matters

The library began as a resource for museum directors and conservators before becoming a public institution. Its history links the growth of the Musei Civici with the development of archaeological and art-historical research in Reggio Emilia.

What to notice

The collections encompass archaeology, art history, periodicals, rare and older books, and material for younger readers. Eighteenth- and nineteenth-century editions form an important part of the historical holdings. These different kinds of publication reveal how museum knowledge has been recorded and shared across generations.

Context and history

Its origins are associated with Gaetano Chierici and the Museo di Storia Patria established in 1870. Giancarlo Ambrosetti refounded the library in 1969, and it opened to the public in 1987. A move in 2009 transferred it from the Palazzo dei Musei to the Parmeggiani palace overlooking Piazza della Vittoria.