The Etruscans in the Netherlands: 40 Years after the Etruscan Project

The initiative is organised by the MAEC in collaboration with the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden, with the support of the Municipality of Cortona and the Region of Tuscany, as part of the Etruscan Project 85/25. It is made possible through the collaboration of the Etruscan Academy, the Luigi Rovati Foundation, and the Archaeological Superintendency, with the support of Banca Popolare di Cortona.

From 6 December 2025 to 15 March 2026, the MAEC – Museum of the Etruscan Academy and of the City of Cortona – will host "The Etruscans in the Netherlands: 40 Years After the Etruscan Project", a major international exhibition bringing to Italy 150 artefacts, including 10 extraordinary bronzes from the Corazzi Collection, on loan from the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden.

The exhibition celebrates the deep bond between Cortona and the Dutch city – a relationship rooted in the history of European collecting and the transmission of Etruscan culture across borders. It also forms part of the commemorations for the 40th anniversary of the Etruscan Project, a pivotal moment in the promotion of Tuscany’s archaeological heritage, when academic research broke free from specialist circles and became shared public knowledge.

The exhibition unfolds as a journey through three centuries of curiosity, discovery and cultural exchange. It begins with the 1985 Etruscan Project, which transformed how archaeology was communicated to the wider public and marked the start of a new era of Etruscan studies in Tuscany. From there, the narrative moves back to the roots of the Etruscan Academy, in the 18th and early 19th centuries, when Cortona became a dynamic centre for antiquarian studies and a new sense of local identity began to emerge.

The story then follows the path taken by a group of Cortonese artefacts that travelled, two centuries ago, to the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden, where they became part of one of Europe’s most important Etruscan collections. Their temporary return to Cortona offers a unique opportunity to retrace a history shaped by transfers of ownership, collecting passions, and cultural ties that – though geographically distant – run deep.

The exhibition continues with the major archaeological discoveries made in the Cortona area in recent decades, the result of sustained collaboration between scientific research, heritage protection and international partnerships.
It concludes by turning to the present, revealing how Etruscan heritage continues to inspire contemporary artists in original and unexpected ways.

The return to Cortona of part of the Corazzi Collection – relocated to the Netherlands two centuries ago – is an event of great historical and symbolic significance: the bronzes on display speak to the rich international connections that have long defined the history of the Etruscan Academy.
The exhibition also anticipates the upcoming celebrations for the 300th anniversary of the Etruscan Academy of Cortona (1727–2027), highlighting the vitality of a cultural tradition that continues to evolve and renew itself.

Info

Opening Ceremony: Friday, December 5, 2025, at 4:30 PM
Location: Cortona City Council Hall

Open to the Public: December 6, 2025 – March 15, 2026
Location: MAEC – Museum of the Etruscan Academy and the City of Cortona

Find out more