Alfabeti dei Due Mari – Fondazione Horcynus Orca

At Capo Peloro, the Fondazione Horcynus Orca presents Alfabeti dei Due Mari, a permanent exhibition on the Strait of Messina that combines scientific interpretation with contemporary art. Its route explores the Strait’s surface waters, mid-depth environments and abyssal life.

Why it matters

The exhibition interprets the Strait of Messina as a marine environment shaped by its currents, wildlife and cultural imagination. Its title, “Alfabeti dei Due Mari,” refers to the waters meeting around Sicily’s northern cape. The foundation presents the route as a meeting of scientific outreach and contemporary art.

What to notice

An outdoor section addresses the surface waters and the marine mammals that move through the Strait. Inside, the exhibition continues through themes of mid-depth environments and abyssal life. A lightless hall contains a collection of deep-sea fish. The wider complex also includes the MACHO contemporary art museum, the SALAMARE immersive installation and an archaeological area.

Context and history

The foundation restored and repurposed the former Tiro a Volo building at Torre Faro, within the monumental complex of Capo Peloro. Archaeological work during the restoration uncovered evidence of Bronze Age settlement. The foundation takes its name from Stefano D’Arrigo’s novel Horcynus Orca, published in 1975 and set on the waters of the Strait of Messina.