Its reopening on 21 March makes the museum safer
and more accessible and interactive
Working for an urban redevelopment plan with a view to giving a space in a state of decay for years back to local people. This is the spirit behind Officine dell’Acqua in Laveno Mombello (Varese), the water workshop, a cultural centre whose focus is on safeguarding and rediscovering local traditions. Officine dell’Acqua works to safeguard and promote navigation in internal waters, promoting cultural, tourist, educational and social activities benefiting young people and the community, transforming the lake into a living resource for the future.
A Pivotal date
21 March 2026 is the year Officine dell’Acqua opened after a period of closure, to enable some key renovation work to take place. The work made the building accessible and compliant with safety norms. There are lots of new features, including modernisation of the museum space, with a new exhibition layout and new technologies and digital tools, as well as a new room for cultural activities, events and conferences. Partnerships and agreements with the main tourist and local transport bodies are also now possible. A series of works will make the museum more open, interactive and integrated into the local cultural and tourist network.
As far as the coming months are concerned, a range of dates have been scheduled. The traditional blessing of the boats takes place in August and the first weekend in September is the turn of the Verbano Classic Festival, an event which melds music, tradition and local promotion. And all eyes will be on Angera’s period sailboat event, Vele d’epoca, which focuses on navigation culture and on Fondazione Officine dell’Acqua’s delegation at the French Sète Festival, to represent the local area too.
As Fondazione Officine dell’Acqua has underlined, familiarity with lake traditions “means understanding our roots. Lake Maggiore’s navigation has contributed to shaping the cultural, economic and social identity of the area’s communities.” It is a patrimony which absolutely must be passed on to future generations because “it is only when we know about the past that we can build the future.” Officine dell’Acqua is working to tell these stories and bring them to life, to help young people feel the connection to their cultural heritage. On the strength of activities promoted in the area, moreover, Fondazione Officine dell’Acqua was recognised as a museum collection by the Lombardy Region in November 2024.
The central importance of memory to local identity
Fondazione Officine dell’Acqua’s work puts a meaningful word centre stage, memory. “An area without memory risks losing its identity”, the Foundation highlights, “just as a tree without roots cannot remain standing.”
