by Redazione 29/10/2026
Categories: Events / Disclaimer
The Ministry of Culture, the Region of Tuscany, and the City of Lucca are committed to establishing the Expo Comics Museum Foundation by March 2027. The museum will be located in the former Manifattura Tabacchi and will focus on comics, illustration, animation, games, and multimedia.
Lucca will have a Comics Museum dedicated to the research, preservation, and promotion of the Ninth Art and the languages of contemporary pop culture. On October 29, 2026, on the second day of Lucca Comics & Games, Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, Tuscany Regional President Eugenio Giani, and Lucca Mayor Mario Pardini signed the promotion agreement at Palazzo Guinigi, paving the way for the establishment of the Expo Comics Museum Foundation, which will manage the future institution.
The signing took place during Minister Giuli’s visit to the event, within the historic Lucca palace that is once again hosting exhibitions dedicated to comics this year, including “Lucca Legacy – A Comics and Games Story,” an exhibition organized to mark the 60th anniversary of Lucca Comics & Games.
The agreement stipulates that the Foundation must be established by March 31, 2027. The signatories identified the Foundation as the vehicle through which to ensure stable and coordinated management of museum and cultural activities. The project includes initiatives focused on research, outreach, conservation, collection, and promotion within the realm of visual culture and the languages of contemporary popular entertainment.
The museum’s permanent home will be in the spaces of the former Manifattura Tabacchi in Lucca. Pending the project’s full implementation, activities may begin at Palazzo Guinigi, in the spaces currently housing the “Lucca Legacy – A Comics and Games Story” exhibition. The exhibition will remain open until September 30, 2027, in the spaces granted to Lucca Crea for eight years.
The future museum will focus on comics, illustration, games, animation, and multimedia and interactive works, with an openness to the diverse languages of international pop culture. The goal is to build a center dedicated not only to exhibitions but also to the study and dissemination of this cultural heritage through cultural and educational activities aimed at diverse audiences.
The project also includes the creation of opportunities for meetings and discussions, seminars, and conferences, as well as collaboration with academic institutions and universities, cultural institutions and research centers in Italy and abroad, schools, organizations, and associations active in the field of lifelong learning. A specific role will be reserved for younger generations, with initiatives that also utilize digital languages and technologies. The initiative aims to consolidate Lucca’s role as a national and international hub for heritage related to comics and contemporary popular culture.
The new institute is part of the city’s cultural development, closely linked to the annual event that attracts authors, publishers, and enthusiasts from various countries. The goal is to extend the presence of Lucca Comics & Games beyond the festival dates: as outlined in the project, the museum will keep the festival’s activities alive throughout the year, transforming the festival experience into a permanent cultural program.
Statements
“Comics are a unique form of expression, born from the union of words and images, and are an integral part of our artistic tradition,” emphasizes Minister Alessandro Giuli. “They deserve to be studied, preserved, promoted, and passed on to future generations. A museum dedicated to these forms of expression can become a premier space for cultural education and guide new audiences in discovering the value of contemporary creativity.”
“Sixty years of comic book history and culture have made Lucca Comics & Games the world’s most important event in this sector,” said Eugenio Giani, President of the Tuscany Region. “Today, in the Guinigi Tower—a symbol of Lucca’s identity and freedom—this heritage finds a permanent home. 365 days a year, residents and tourists drawn to the city’s cultural vibrancy will be able to explore the evolution of creativity: what was expressed through a fresco or a canvas during the Renaissance now takes shape in a comic panel or a drawing. This place will help everyone understand the extraordinary impact that Lucca has had—and continues to have—on these art forms. I am truly happy to seal this vision today with the signing of the promotion agreement.”
“Today, here,” declared Lucca’s Mayor Mario Pardini, “we are not only celebrating the past with due gratitude toward those who paved the way that led us here, but we are also looking to the future—and what better way to celebrate this important 60th anniversary? The signing of this agreement marks a milestone for the entire community. After years of collaborative work, today the Ministry, the Region, and the City are putting their commitment in writing to establish the foundation that will guide us forward. The most beautiful things are born from collaboration. I thank the Ministry and the Region for their collaboration on this important project, which was so long-awaited and requested by the city. From here today, we celebrate the past while building the future.”
“In the city that for 60 years has been the home where creativity in all its forms is celebrated, today the Lucca Comics Museum project takes a decisive step toward soon becoming a reality,” said Emanuele Vietina—Director of Lucca Comics & Games and a member of the technical-scientific committee overseeing its creation. “The festival’s legacy thus takes center stage on the international cultural scene: this legacy, which is being celebrated on this 60th anniversary—marking the signing of the agreement—ensures that the event evolves and renews itself every year, while always remaining true to itself.”
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| Lucca Comics & Games Becomes a Museum: Agreement Reached for New Location in Lucca |
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