Rome rediscovers its river with the opening of the Tiber Museum

The new Tiber Museum opens in Rome, a space dedicated to the history, culture and ecosystem of the Italian capital's river.

A new space has opened in Rome, with the ambition of restoring a central place to its river, too often forgotten or reduced to a mere urban backdrop. The new Tiber Museum has opened its doors to the public. Housed in the estate at 81 via Gomenizza and renamed the House of the River, this cultural project aims to tell the story of the Tiber's history, biodiversity and social value through exhibitions, historical archives and immersive technologies.

The initiative aims to bring new generations closer to the environmental and cultural heritage of the capital's main river. The museum will host educational areas, photographic and audiovisual documents, and virtual reality trails enabling visitors to "navigate" the Tiber throughout the course of different eras.

To inaugurate the new cultural hub, a photographic exhibition entitled 150 years of love for the river, curated by Giuseppe Di Piazza, brings together some 80 historic photographs from archives of the five historic Roman rowing and canoeing clubs, now united under the umbrella of the Tiber Museum Association. The photographs trace more than a century and a half of relations between Rome and its river, documenting the transformations of the river landscape from the second half of the 19th century to the present day.

The exhibition also features three vintage boats that bear witness to the deep-rooted link between the Tiber and the city's social life. These include a 1920s yawl used for river cruises, a 1930s Canadian canoe belonging to the Italian Geographical Society, and a peculiar canoe called "des deux mondes", built in Argentina in the 1950s and later brought to Rome after crossing South American lakes and rivers.

The new museum is also looking towards the future. In addition to permanent and temporary exhibits, the House of the River will become a center for environmental and historical popularization, with guided naturalist tours, focuses on the flora and fauna of the urban section of the Tiber, and activities dedicated to the protection of the river's ecosystem. It's a way of putting the spotlight back on a river which, despite chronic problems of pollution and degradation, remains an essential ecological resource and a fundamental marker of Rome's identity.

Pending the launch of regular programming, the site will be open to the public for a first series of visits this Saturday, May 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Opening days and times are currently being finalized.