Good initiative by the Museo Bicknell… Discovering the Museo Bicknell
If you don’t read Italian then the gist of the article is… ”
A summer spent discovering the lesser-known treasures of the Clarence Bicknell Museum and Library. July and August 2026 mark the launch of “Discovering the Bicknell Museum,” a series of guided tours dedicated to the museum’s “wonders,” with a special focus on special collections not usually on public display. The initiative features events scheduled for Wednesdays at 10:30 AM and Saturdays at 2:30 PM, offering visitors the chance to access collections and materials housed in the institute’s storage areas and historical archives.
Kicking off the schedule is “Crono-rifugio: Belle Époque Newspapers in Bordighera,” taking place on Saturday, July 11, with a repeat session on Wednesday, July 22. The tour guides participants through newspapers and periodicals from the Riviera’s golden age, allowing them to leaf through original pages once read by British and international holidaymakers. Illustrated magazines, lists of distinguished visitors, vintage advertisements, and social chronicles will recount Bordighera’s transformation into a sophisticated international hub—a *fin de siècle* journey told through the printed word.
The second event, “Beyond the Ficus: Among the Herbariums,” is scheduled for Saturday, July 25, and Wednesday, July 29. The tour takes the public into the museum’s natural history library, featuring a special viewing of the delicate folders containing Clarence Bicknell’s historical herbarium collections. It is an opportunity to examine botanical species classified over a century ago and compare antique illustrated plates with the flora that still surrounds the museum today—a journey blending science, art, and nature.
Rounding out the summer series is “If on a Summer Afternoon a Scholar…”, scheduled for Wednesday, August 19, Saturday, August 22, and Saturday, August 29. This event invites visitors to discover the lesser-known side of the IISL library—housed within the Bicknell Museum—featuring bibliographic rarities, artworks, and special collections. The tour will showcase the archives of the historian Girolamo Rossi from Ventimiglia and prestigious botanical editions belonging to the Hanbury and Bicknell-Berry families, as well as prints, maps, and large historical atlases.
These events are organized by the International Institute of Ligurian Studies (IISL) in collaboration with interns from Vilnius University. The cost of each guided tour is €7. Reservations are mandatory and can be made by calling +39 331 344 9065.”