Strega Prize at MACRO: 80 Years of History on Display

Strega Prize at MACRO: 80 Years of History on Display

When: 29 April – 30 August 2026

Where: MACRO – Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome

The exhibition chronicles the Strega Prize’s eighty-year history by combining a year-by-year photographic gallery with a chronological display of more than one thousand selected volumes from 1947 to the present. The itinerary highlights key moments, protagonists and the cultural debates that have accompanied the award.

At the heart of the show, a reconstructed room evokes the drawing-room of Casa Bellonci, the informal meeting place of the "Friends of Sunday": personal objects, archival materials, video content, the iconic board listing the shortlist and the voting urn bring the social and domestic roots of the prize to life.

• Curators: Maria Luisa Frisa and Mario Lupano
• Exhibition design: Supervoid; graphic design: Caneva-Nishimoto
• Partners: Bper Banca, Persol, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana
• On display: photographs, first editions (from Ennio Flaiano to Andrea Bajani), archival documents

The show frames the history of Italian culture through the books that shaped national literary taste, making it a valuable visit for both literature enthusiasts and those seeking an accessible introduction to the Strega Prize’s role in Italy’s cultural life.

Practical note: check MACRO’s official site for opening hours and visitor information before planning your visit.