On Sunday, May 24, historic residences within the network of the Italian Historic Houses Association will open their doors free of charge, inviting the public to embark on a unique journey through the country’s largest “open-air museum”
“Guardians of the Future. A Living Heritage for Shared Value” is the theme of the 2026 edition, highlighting the collective responsibility to safeguard a cultural network that represents a vital resource for Italy and for future generations
Rome, April 22 2026 – On Sunday, May 24, the Italian Historic Houses Association (Associazione Dimore Storiche Italiane, A.D.S.I.) will celebrate the XVI edition of the Historic Houses National Day, the annual event during which hundreds of historic houses throughout Italy open their doors to the public.
Together, these privately owned properties form the largest open-air museum in the country, welcoming thousands of visitors each year. The event offers a rare opportunity to explore places of extraordinary charm, steeped in history, art, and beauty – many of which remain little known and lie beyond the traditional tourist routes.
The initiative aims to raise public awareness of the importance of protecting and preserving Italy’s privately owned historic and architectural heritage. These listed properties represent some of the deepest roots of Italian identity and culture, and their preservation is essential to ensuring they can be passed on to future generations.
The network of historic houses, castles, and historic gardens also performs a significant public and social function. Thanks to its widespread presence across the country, it constitutes a true cultural infrastructure, generating economic, social, and cultural value within local communities – especially in smaller towns and inland areas.
The theme of the XVI edition, “Guardians of the Future. A Living Heritage for a Shared Value,” reflects the responsibility of caring for heritage assets that must not only be preserved but also enhanced and made accessible within their communities, so they can continue to generate cultural, social, and economic value.
«The Historic Houses National Day has now become an important and well-established event in Italy’s cultural calendar, bringing to the forefront a vast cultural heritage present in every region of our country: in 2025 alone, more than 500 historic houses participated in the event, welcoming over 250,000 visitors» said Maria Pace Odescalchi, President of the Italian Historic Houses Association. «It is also a valuable opportunity to reflect on the need to support the protection and maintenance of this cultural infrastructure, ideally through support tools that enable proactive management and medium- to long-term planning, ensuring that these widespread heritage assets continue to be a resource for our country and for future generations»
For further information on the openings scheduled for Sunday, May 24, please visit the following website: https://www.associazionedimorestoricheitaliane.it/giornatanazionale2026/
