POLAR MUSEUM “SILVIO ZAVATTI”

The PolarMuseumof Villa Vitali is the onlymuseum in Italy dedicatedto the peoples and the environmentof the Arcticregions, and toItalianArcticpolarresearch and exploration. The 2nd floorhouses the manyitemscollected in the 1950s by the explorer and scholarDr Silvio Zavattiduringhisfivepolarexpeditions, aswellas more recentdonations and acquisitionssuchasthoseof Jean Malaurie, Lino Brillarelli and Luciana Gabbrielli. Founded in 1969 in Civitanova Marche, the PolarMuseumwasacquiredby the Municipalityof Fermo, and wasinauguratedat Villa Vitali in 1993. The first roomisdedicatedto the polarexpeditionsof Luigi Amedeo di Savoia, Duke of Abruzzi (1899-1900) and ofGeneral Umberto Nobile (1926-28). The followingfiveroomscontainmanyartefactsof a historical and ethnographic nature, chieflyof Inuit origin. On exhibit are alsodrawingsmadebyschoolchildren in Fermo and in theirsisterschoolsofTasiilaq (Angmagssalik), in East Greenland, aswellasphotos and related material. The Museumoffersinteractiveactivities, workshops, toursaimedatschoolchildren, illustratedvisits and the viewingofpolardocumentaryfilms. Museumfacilities include the largestpolarlibrary in Italy, withbooks, newspapers and periodicals, aswellas a bookshop. The Museumisanintegral part of the Istituto Geografico Polare, founded in Forlì by Silvio Zavatti in 1944, with the aimofpromotingpolarexpeditions, conferences and otheractivities, whichincludescollaborationwithpolarinstitutes the world over.

PUBLICATION “IL POLO”

The periodical journal Il Polo started in 1945, and wasinitiatedby the polarexplorerSilvio Zavattias a bulletinfor the Istituto Geografico Polare. The Institutehadbeencreated, amongotherthings, “tostudy the polarregions, tofighttocorrect the misconceptionspresent in toomanypublications, toorganisepolarexpeditions, and topublish a specialised journal”. Il Polo hascarried out itsmissionforover60yearswithconsistency and continuity, reporting on scientificresearchboth on humansciences and naturalsciences. Amongitscollaboratorsthere are researchers, anthropologists, scientists, universityprofessors, experts and explorers. The journal isalsointegratedwith the researchactivityof the Institute, and isdirectedby Renato Zavatti, the founder’sson.

For subscriptions please contact the Istituto Geografico Polare 

Mr Roberto Pazzi

Fax (+39) 0734-226166   

E-mail: rivista.ilpolo@museopolare.it