Fondazione Maddalena Di Giacomo

Just a few steps from the Rialto Bridge, in the heart of Venice, the Fondazione Maddalena Di Giacomo will open in May 2026 in conjunction with the 61st Venice Art Biennale. The Foundation is located on the piano nobile of the Renaissance Palazzo Valier, historically associated with the Venetian master Giorgione.

Chaired and directed by Alexandra Mazzanti, the Fondazione preserves and develops the cultural legacy of Maddalena Di Giacomo (Rome, 1950–2016) by realising her vision for the Petit Musée de la Femme, conceived as an intimate museum narrating the feminine universe through the theme of memory.

At the heart of the Fondazione lies the permanent collection assembled by her throughout her life, including seventeenth to nineteenth century female portraits and portrait miniatures, antique perfume bottles, sentimental jewellery and objects associated with the intangible heritage of love and remembrance.

Gathered into a multimedia collection, sentimental art forms the core of the Fondazione’s cultural project, exploring the symbolism of love as a collective feeling across time. Through this innovative curatorial approach this historical nucleus enters into dialogue with contemporary artistic practices and multi-sensory approaches to the museum experience.

At the heart of the Fondazione’s work lies the study of memory as a cultural, emotional and sensory phenomenon, explored through the intersection of art, science and curatorial practice. Inspired by the concept of the “Alchemy of Memory,” the Fondazione promotes interdisciplinary research into the relationship between artistic experience, perception and neuroscience, developing multisensory installations that expand the museum experience and create inclusive forms of engagement attentive to diverse modes of perception, with particular sensitivity to neurodivergent audiences.

A key focus of its research concerns sensory memory, including the role of scent as a catalyst for emotional recall and its potential applications in contexts related to grief, autism and neurodegenerative conditions. Supported by a dedicated olfactory laboratory, this work contributes to the dialogue between art and science and to the reconsideration of art as a supportive resource for mental and emotional wellbeing.

The Fondazione’s activities are guided by an international Scientific Committee and developed in collaboration with institutions, universities and academies, placing its programmes in service of the wider community and the cultural life of Venice.