A new museum celebrating Italian-American heritage will open in Little Italy next week on the annual holiday celebrating the green, white and red.
The Italian American Museum will open to the public on Monday, Oct. 14, the Columbus Day holiday, at 151 Mulberry St. It will house three exhibitions that celebrate Italy and Italian-American culture.
The museum’s centerpiece is the exhibit, Puppet Homecoming: The Historic Sicilian Manteo Marionettes Return to Mulberry Street. It features 34 historic, life-size colorful puppets, similar to those featured in a famous scene in the movie sequel, “The Godfather Part II.”
Puppet theaters were a major source of daily public entertainment in Sicily from the early 1800s to the late 1950s. According to museum curators, Agrippino Manteo brought puppetry tradition to the United States, and it flourished in Little Italy in the 1920s and 30s at the Manteo Theater at 109 Mulberry St.
The Manteo Theater no longer exists, but visitors to the Italian American Museum will have a chance to see the historic puppets close up. They are hand-carved out of wood and metal and dressed in colorful cloth.
Jo Ann Cavallo, a Columbia University professor, wrote a book about Sicilian puppet theater, calling it a “unique 19th- and 20th-century popular theatrical tradition based on the masterpieces of medieval and Renaissance chivalric literature.”
The other inaugural exhibits at the museum are The Quincentenary: The Voyages of the Italian Explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, and Good Night, Maria, a tribute to Italian Americans who toiled in the garment industry.
Joseph V. Scelsa, founder and president of the new museum, said at its soft opening on Oct. 1 that the museum will showcase monumental achievements within Italian culture.
“This is a great day not only for Italian Americans and Italians, but for all Americans and citizens of the world, who now have a place to witness the monumental achievements of our culture,” said Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, founder and president of the Italian American Museum. “This has been a personal project for more than two decades, and it to see it come to fruition is a most satisfying experience.”
Construction of the new building that houses the museum began in 2018.
“After several years of construction, it is a great source of satisfaction to be present at the opening of the new Italian American Museum,” Fabrizio Di Michele, Consul General of Italy in New York said at the soft opening. “This place highlights and celebrates not only the rich cultural heritage of Italian Americans in NYC, but also their significant contributions to the history and society of this great nation.”
The museum plans to add more items to its collection by Spring 2025. It also offers walking tours for individuals, families, schools and other groups.
What you need to know about visiting the new Italian American Museum in Little Italy
Where is the museum located?
The Italian American Museum is located at 151 Mulberry St. in Manhattan.
What are the hours?
The museum is open Thursday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., and Wednesday and Sunday by appointment only. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
How much is admission?
Admission is $15; $10 for seniors and children ages 12 and younger accompanied by an adult.
More information about the museum is available at italianamericanmuseum.org.
