Musei Civici Gian Giacomo Galletti Reopen in Domodossola After 40 Years

After four decades, the Musei Civici Gian Giacomo Galletti in Domodossola have reopened in the restored Palazzo San Francesco, directed by Antonio D'Amico. The renovation was led by Milanese architect Paolo Carlo Rancati. The museum spans three levels: the ground floor hosts temporary exhibitions and retains decorative traces of the former church of San Francesco; the second floor features the Museo di Scienze Naturali, a natural history collection with thousands of mineral, fossil, botanical, and taxidermy specimens displayed in early 20th-century cases, with atmospheric lighting by young artist Gianluca Quaglia simulating day-to-night transitions; the third floor houses permanent collections including archaeology, graphic art, sacred art, sculpture, and an 18th- and 19th-century painting gallery by local artists. The introductory section presents portraits and personal objects of Gian Giacomo Galletti, the Piedmontese philanthropist who founded the institution. A special exhibition, 'Incanto e disincanto. La forza delle idee,' features works depicting Saint Francis of Assisi, including paintings by Guercino, Sebastiano Ricci, Barocci, and Tanzio da Varallo.