Apart from the commemorative stamp, there are permanent historic t-shirts on display, memorabilia, works of art, interactive facilities, and virtual reality. A journey to the hearts of the past, present, and future rosanero faith.
Palermo, November 1st, 2020 - On November 1st, 1900, the first sports association from the city of Palermo was born. Today, on the day of its 120th anniversary, the Palermo Museum is born at Renzo Barbera stadium, one which revisits joy and suffering of the over one hundred year old history of Palermo, its champions, its fans, its joyful moments, but also its suffering. An inauguration missed, due to the current sanitary restrictions, but also a respected commitment towards the city, which, since this morning, has been able to acquire the commemorative stamp designed by Francesco De Grandi and emitted by the Ministry of Economic Development for the occasion, and soon will be able to visit the new "home" of the rosanero passions directly at the stadium.
This way, between an old photo of the founding fathers and a plastic replica of the Renzo Barbera stadium, you can live the experience of virtual training with Palermo at the new Palermo Museum through an immersive experience, using high tech virtual reality equipment. Going through the historic t-shirts of Palermo, hung as true works of art at the gallery, you can find yourself "wearing" them at an amusing, all digital, photobooth. At a specific multimedia space, short films of the old and current history are shown, mixing in a big puzzle unforgettable videos and footage, while at a small "movie theater" cinematographic references of Palermo are shown, from a Franco e Ciccio gag to a scene by Ficarra e Picone.
Space also for the "Fields of Sicily", a "show within a show", made with the support of the Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity, which goes over the city fields in which the passion for football was born and developed through the decades. Essential, also, is a special area dedicated to the rosanero Hall of Fame: a selection of the 11 players + coach declared most representative for the Palermo history through an open poll to all the fans, with more than 6000 votes registered in the summer of 2020.
Palermo Museum also hosts a unique piece from the artist Carlo CUT Cazzaniga: inspired by a nostalgic pop style, his work is composed of a series of tables made with the fretwork technique, in which the graphic design is the real protagonist. CUT has also made 50 illustrations for the book "Eagles. Palermo: the museum, the history, the city" (il Palindromo) edited by Giovanni Tarantino, for sale at the official store of the stadium, and also the digital one, as well as the publishing company and, from November 12th, in every library.
More than one year was needed, marked by a special countdown set right on the Barbera's facade, to start the "call" which, at the end of 2019, rallied fans, collectors, and enthusiasts from all over the world. Thanks to their extraordinary contribution, unique, invaluable, and rare relics were recovered: t-shirts, historic photographs, photos of the fans, audiovisual material, memorabilia, flags, scarves from the fans, posters, pennants, comic books, books, fanzine, magazines, tickets, newspapers, and everything that can evidence the passion for Palermo through the material culture of the fans and collectibles over the years. A thorough selection of all the proposals, at the hands of the journalist, historian, and scientific coordinator of the museum, Giovanni Tarantino, has allowed to give birth to a themed journey through all the sides of the fans and the history of the rosanero colors, next to interactive installations and experiences, according to the general architectonic project of Mazzarella Studio.
"Our objective - said Giovanni Tarantino - was to revisit the history of Palermo also through its failures, being at the service of history, and trace an important constant: the "spirit" of Palermo has always survived catastrophies and soared like a phoenix. This is already a victory, which is worth maybe more than any trophies that Palermo doesn't have, and that the museum will not be able to show. Because a certain "question about Palermo" has always been there, even in those circumstances in which, for brief moments, the city was represented by clubs with different names and different colors. The colors black and pink are confirmed as permanent trademarks of a soul resisting for 120 years, a metaphor of a city for which, after everything, "only Palermo exists".
The history of football in Palermo, at least in its origins, is a story of integration, of cultural assimilation, perfectly coherent with the city's history.
Calcio, or better as foot-ball (with the dash as previously used) comes from the sea, and with it, its first exponents. Football at Palermo was born from a crossroad: it's emblematic that the first local team was named Anglo Palermitan Athletic and Football club. "Anglo" and "Palermitan" as the two synthesis elements: White and pink was the first t-shirt, like the colors of the british flag, and the pioneers' football as a metaphor of a fusion between elements. From there, soon Palermo would adopt the colors which will remain forever as the symbol of an unmistakable sports banner: "pink like sweet, and black like bitter", as recited by the famous letter from Giuseppe Airoldi to Gosuè Withaker.
Since then, the rosanero faith has become, little by little, part of the DNA of an entire city and its sons spread throughout the world. A passion which goes beyond only sports, being more like an identity component, a matter of belonging. Carrying it forward was, is, and will always be the fans who, by passing on such values from father to son, survive ideally to presidents, coaches, and unforgettable champions. To them this event is dedicated, which does not only celebrate the anniversary of a football team, but also, and above all, the birthday of a love story, that of Palermo and Palermitans, which will never end.
Palermo Museum is currently closed to the public, but it will soon be possible to organize booked guided visits, always respecting all the current safety procedures and regulations.
A thank-you to all the donors and contributors involved in the project: Vincenzo Bellavia, Giuseppe Vassallo, Simona Puzzo, Roger Stirland, Nicolò Terrasi, Alessandro Ruello, Paolo Bonini, Francesco Paolo Accardi, Azio Agnese, Salvatore Denaro, Dario Romano, Giuseppe Vella, Filippo Compagno, Vincenzo Zaami, Calogero Manto, Domenico Bonfiglio, Giuseppe Giuffrè, Francesco Paolo Caltagirone, Daniele Chiovaro, Giuseppina Alù, Vincenzo La Mantia, Angelo Giambalvo, Aurelio Scuderi, Mirko Ingrassia, Anita Luna, Adriana e Gabriele Banchero, Salvatore Barrale, Riccardo Anselmo, Massimiliano Misia, Claudio e Donato Errico, Vincenzo Velardi, Costantino Mirulla, Claudio ed Emanuele Cincotta, Antonino e Giuseppe Caravello, Gabriele Lentini, Salvo Caruso, Alessio Garofalo, Roberto Todaro, Vito Donzelli, Nicola Leo e Francesco Armato, TV broadcast Trm with special thanks to Gabriele Rappa, Alessandro Amato e Luca Tutone, Davide Amato, the Whitaker Foundation from Villa Malfitano with special thanks to Dr. Maria Enza Carollo and architect Corrado Mirmina, the Ingham Whitaker archive at Cantine Pellegrino di Marsala with special thanks to Dr. Paola Alagna, the Superindendence of Archives of Cultural Heritage of the Region of Sicily, Marco Bonomo, Sergio Vizzini, Massimiliano Napoli, Roberto Pedivellano, Gaetano Sconzo, Gabriele Pomar, Alessandro Cane, Casimiro Di Fiore, Vincenzo Percopo, Giuseppe Percopo, Annachiara Falcone, Roberta Randazzo, Francesco Orlando, Giuseppe Liga, Marco Sirchia, Gaetano Lombardo, Roberto Gueli, Mario Midulla, Luigi Riccobono, Claudio Italiano, Raffaele Bravatà.