M9 – Museo del ’900 hosts the first major Italian exhibition dedicated to Sandro Pertini (1896-1990), widely regarded as Italy’s most beloved president. The exhibition opens in conjunction with significant anniversaries: the 80th anniversary of the Resistance, commemorated last April 25; the 130th anniversary of Pertini’s birth; and the 80th anniversary of the referendum that established the Italian Republic, both of which fall in 2026. It is a unique opportunity to recount the story of a man who traversed the twentieth century and embodied the values of freedom, justice, and democracy. The exhibition path begins with Pertini’s remarkable private collection, now housed at the Museo di Savona, which includes paintings, sculptures, and works chosen by the President as a reflection of his ethical and civic vision of art.

In dialogue with these works, archival materials, photographs, letters, historical footage, and previously unseen documents from the Fondazione di Studi Storici “Filippo Turati”, the Museo Nazionale Collezione Salce, and the Casa Museo Sandro Pertini recount the pivotal moments of Pertini’s life and of Italian history. Between realism and abstraction, the works on display reflect Pertini’s independent gaze, attentive to the present and capable of grasping the tensions and challenges of artistic research. The exhibition pays tribute to the values of freedom, the Resistance, and human dignity, inviting visitors to reflect on the role of art as an instrument of democracy and shared memory.