Historical and Cultural Institute of the Arma del Genius

The project of the building of the Historical and Cultural Institute of the Arma del Genius in Rome was compiled by the competent Office of the Ministry of War, by the Lieutenant Colonel of the Genius Gennaro de Matteis from 1937 to 1940.

The collections are made up of relics that describe the history of the Weapon of genius, from the Italian wars of independence to the two world wars. In the internal courtyard of the museum, a chapel dedicated to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of engineers, was built.

The topics covered by the exhibition are many, from the birth to the progress of broadcasting, to military photography, to aerial photography. Among the most important relics, the first Italian aircraft that was used in a military conflict is exhibited.

In the chapel of Santa Barbara there is a stained glass window by Duilio Cambellotti (circa 1940).

It was founded in 1906 by the captain of the genius Mariano Borgatti with the name "museum of military engineering". The first seat was inside Castel Sant'Angelo.

In 1911 the exhibition space was moved inside the barracks of Urban VIII; on the occasion it changed its name to "historical museum of military genius". The Institute of Military Architecture was founded within the museum in 1928. At the beginning of the thirties the museum complex was moved inside the Piave barracks.

On the occasion of this move, the two entities gave rise to the historical and cultural institute of the weapon of genius. In 1939 the museum underwent the transfer to its current location, which was created specifically to accommodate this exhibition site.

Map: Historical and Cultural Institute of the Arma del Genius