Paolo Cresci Foundation for the History of Italian Emigration

At the market

Emigrants sell the fruits of their labor at the fruit and vegetable market, now as then.

The caregiver

An ancient work often left to women from other countries. Remarkable difference in expression between yesterday and today.

Work away from home

So many differences and so many similarities, fiftyˈyears apart: emigrants accept even the most menial jobs.

Emigrants: yesterday and today

Leaving for America and arriving to Italian shores: places and protagonists change, but history repeats itself.

Work in the factory

In drums, behind sewing machines, today as then.

Jean Michel Folon

"I dream of a suitcase, an imaginary suitcase that is actually a window whose bars have been cut to allow one to run away...because to emigrate means to free oneself and to run away to seek a better, happier world...If in addition in the logo I also conveyed some poetry I would be very happy..."

The Paolo Cresci Foundation collects important and varied documents on Italian emigrants.
By browsing our site, you can take a journey through time aboard shiploads of emigrants leaving for faraway places, experience their adventures in their new homelands, and share poignant nostalgia for the place of their birth.

Garfagnana for Astor Piazzolla on the centenary of his birth

In the section Video the Spanish version

Featured News

For a Mediterranean Sea of Peace, a Sea of Stories

Nell’ambito del Festival “I Musei del Sorriso”, venerdì 22 novembre ore 10.30, presso l’Antica Armeria di Palazzo Ducale a Lucca si terrà lo spettacolo: Per...

𝗟'𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮̀ 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶 𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗲. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲

Organized 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶 𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗲, established in the fall of 2005 at the Giovanni Agnelli Foundation in Turin, will be the first conference on the topic...

Lucca White Night 2024 🌙

Among those having, Exhibition HOMAGE OF GARFAGNANA TO ASTOR PIAZZOLLA in the Cortile degli Svizzeri from 7.45 pm. Also from 21.00 to 23.00 hours, the MUSEUM...

TANGO AND EMIGRATION A tale in words and music 🎶

Sunday, August 25 at 9 p.m. in the Church Square in Tereglio As part of the Festival I MUSEI DEL SORRISO, in collaboration with the Municipality of...

🌟𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗🌟𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗹 𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗶 𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶, Screening of the film IO CAPITANO by Matteo Garrone (2023)

Lucca, Prato della Cavallerizza Tuesday, July 23 at 9 p.m. Historical introduction by Ave Marchi, president of the Paolo Cresci Foundation for the History of Emigration...

MEETINGS IN THE GARDEN 🌴🌺 July 5, 6 p.m.

Garden of the Paolo Cresci Museum for the History of Italian Emigration Via Vittorio Emanuele II No. 3 in Lucca "ON THE SCENE AND IN LIFE. WOMEN.

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