Itinerant museum in a trunk tells Italian emigration stories

A new itinerant museum called Casciamericana, housed in a trunk, has been launched to preserve and share the cultural heritage of Italian emigrants. Conceived by architect and designer Enzo Tenore, director of the MEdA-Museo Etnografico di Aquilonia in Avellino province, the project aims to reconnect inland Italian communities with their diaspora abroad. The trunk, inspired by the 'cascia americana' patented by Louis Vuitton for transoceanic travel, serves as an exhibition device carrying objects and stories from rural Southern Italy. The prototype was designed by 13 students from the University of Naples Federico II under Tenore and professor Katia Fabbricatti. It was first displayed at the Napoli Design Week in May 2024 and recently presented at the Italian Chamber of Deputies. The first overseas journey will be to the Club San Vito Martire in Montclair, New Jersey, hosted by the Aquilonia community in the US. The project is seen as a political agent addressing migration, with anthropologist Simone Valitutto emphasizing its role in fostering understanding and acceptance.