by Redazione 05/11/2026

The Turin Museums Foundation has unanimously appointed Cecilie Hollberg as director of Palazzo Madama – Turin’s Civic Museum of Ancient Art. She will succeed Giovanni Carlo Federico Villa beginning in February 2027, following a public selection process involving 35 candidates.

Cecilie Hollberg will be the new director of Palazzo Madama – Turin’s Civic Museum of Ancient Art. The Board of Directors of the Fondazione Torino Musei unanimously approved her appointment, granting her a four-year term beginning in February 2027. Hollberg will succeed Giovanni Carlo Federico Villa, who has led the institution since 2022 and whose leave of absence will end on February 1, 2027, at which time he will resume his academic role at the University of Bergamo.

The appointment follows a public selection process in which 35 candidates participated. The process was overseen by an external evaluation committee composed of professionals with recognized experience and expertise in the international museum and cultural landscape. The committee included Sylvain Bellenger, art historian and former director general of the Capodimonte Museum and Royal Park in Naples; Flaminia Gennari Santori, an art historian, former director of the National Galleries of Ancient Art in Rome, independent curator, and author; and Maria Luisa Pacelli, an art historian and director of the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo.

Based on the results of the selection process and the Commission’s evaluations, the Board of Directors selected Hollberg, recognizing her high professional standing and the merit of her project proposal, which is characterized by an international perspective. A medieval historian, Cecilie Hollberg has served as director of the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, the City Museum of Braunschweig (Germany), and as a visiting professor at Villa I Tatti / Harvard University (Florence). She has coordinated museum renovation and redesign projects and has curated exhibitions and publications on ancient and modern art and history. Hollberg teaches Curatorial Studies and Museology at universities and international academies; she is an honorary member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence and a member of the Board of Directors of the medieval cathedral in Naumburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Cecilie Hollberg will take over from Giovanni Carlo Federico Villa, who, during his tenure as director, worked to enhance the collections, strengthen the relationship between the museum and the city, and consolidate Palazzo Madama’s role in the Italian and international cultural landscape. The Fondazione Torino Musei and the Board of Directors expressed their gratitude to Professor Villa for his work and for his contribution to the institution’s development, accompanied by best wishes for the continuation of his professional career.

“I am absolutely delighted to take on the role of director of Palazzo Madama, and I sincerely thank the President and the Board of Directors of the Fondazione Torino Musei for the trust they have placed in me. Palazzo Madama is a monument unlike any other in the world—a treasure trove of two thousand years of history spanning the city, the region, and the country. The spectacular collections offer immense possibilities in a city as vibrant, active, and brilliant as Turin. I see the years ahead as an exciting challenge for promoting our heritage and building new networks—citywide, national, and international,” stated the new Director of Palazzo Madama, Cecilie Hollberg.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank the members of the Evaluation Committee for their work, expertise, and professionalism throughout the entire selection process. The depth of their analysis, the attention paid to the procedure, and the transparency of the method adopted enabled the Foundation to obtain a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation. The Board of Directors unanimously recognized Cecilie Hollberg as possessing an outstanding professional profile and a vision capable of realizing Palazzo Madama’s potential and guiding its development. “Sincere thanks to Prof. Giovanni Carlo Federico Villa for his work and for his contribution to the enhancement and growth of Palazzo Madama. Special recognition goes to his personal and human qualities, which complement his outstanding professional expertise,” stated Massimo Broccio, President of the Fondazione Torino Musei.

Cecilie Hollberg is the new director of Palazzo Madama in Turin: a four-year term beginning in 2027

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