Butterflies on Display: Villa Mirabello Collections Open March 28–29

Butterflies on display at Villa Mirabello

To celebrate spring, the archaeological museum at Villa Mirabello in Varese presents a temporary exhibition of butterflies from the historic Tamagno and Simondetti collections. The display runs on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 March, offering a rare chance to view both exotic and local specimens before they are returned to the museum's entomological cabinets for preservation.

• Dates: 28–29 March 2026
• Venue: Civic Museums - Villa Mirabello, Piazza della Motta, Varese
• Guided tour: Sunday 29 March, 3:00–4:30 PM, led by curator Barbara Cermesoni and entomologist Cinzia Monte
• Children's workshop: educational activity for ages 6–11 (reservation required)
• Bookings: [email protected] — Tel. +39 338 837 3157

The exhibition includes specimens restored by entomologist Cinzia Monte between 2020 and 2021 and is complemented by two graphic works by artist Silvana Martignoni, creating a conversation between natural heritage and artistic interpretation.

The Tamagno collection mainly contains exotic butterflies (from countries such as Brazil and Argentina), while the Simondetti collection focuses on species from central and northern Italy—many collected in the early 20th century and valuable as records of habitats that have since changed significantly.

This event aims to enhance public access to the entomological collections while ensuring proper conservation. For full details and to sign up for the workshop or guided tour, contact [email protected] or call the number above.