FEDERICO ZERI
A Personal Diary

From November 12, 2026, to July 4, 2027, the exhibition FEDERICO ZERI. A Personal Diary brings together research, heritage, and public engagement. The project offers the public not only works tied to the museum’s history, but also the method and intellectual curiosity of a scholar who profoundly marked art history.

In 1998, Zeri donated 46 sculptures from his personal collection – spanning various materials, periods, and origins – to Accademia Carrara. The exhibition route stems from this extraordinary gift to reveal Zeri’s working method and his unique way of looking at art.

The exhibition gathers artworks, books, photographs, videos, and archival materials, structured across four thematic sections: the sculptures and research outcomes featured in the new scientific catalogue; paintings in the Accademia Carrara collection re-attributed or re-interpreted by Zeri; his library and radio broadcasts, testifying to his tireless work as a scholar and communicator; and the Dutch paintings from the Giovanni Morelli collection, a pioneer of art history and a pivotal reference in Zeri’s career. Special focus is dedicated to conservation, allowing visitors to discover the scientific analysis, materials, and methodological choices that shape daily collections care.

Conceived as an open journey uncovering the museum “behind the scenes”, the display brings works out of storage alongside new research and restoration efforts, letting visitors experience the Accademia Carrara team’s work firsthand. A true “work-in-progress” for cultural heritage, where interpretation, conservation, and public enjoyment take shape in real time.