From 2 April to 1 November 2026, The Stables of Miramare Castle host a major exhibition dedicated to Archduke Massimiliano d’Asburgo and his passion for Ancient Egypt. On display are more than one hundred artefacts recounting the origins and history of his collection of Egyptian antiquities, poised between a personal dream and a modern vision of the museum as a heritage asset for the benefit of the community.

Thanks to the prestigious collaboration with the Kunsthistorisches Museum, a significant portion of the collection—transferred to Vienna in the 19th century—exceptionally returns to Trieste, presented in a highly evocative and scenographic display. The exhibition also includes important loans from the Civico Museo d’Antichità J. J. Winckelmann and explores the cultural context of 19th-century Trieste, when fascination with Ancient Egypt inspired travel, trade, and collecting.

The exhibition retraces the stages of Maximilian’s collection: from his initial acquisitions to his diplomatic missions, from the (never realised) project of a museum at Miramare to the adventurous journey of the artefacts between Trieste, Mexico, and Vienna.

A narrative itinerary that also traces the history of collecting and approaches to the study of antiquities: from prestigious objects intended for personal use and enjoyment to cultural assets recognised as shared heritage, aimed at knowledge, preservation, and public access.

Curators
Massimo Osanna, Christian Greco, Cäcilia Bischoff, Michaela Hüttner

Exhibition by
Museo storico e Parco del Castello di Miramare

Co-organised with
Kunsthistorisches Museum

With the scientific contribution of
Museo Egizio

In collaboration with
Comune di Trieste
PromoTurismoFVG

Produced with
CoopCulture
MondoMostre

A journey through archaeology and the history of collecting that restores to the public Maximilian’s cosmopolitan vision and the deep bond between Trieste and Habsburg Europe.

The scientific project of the exhibition reconstructs the history of Maximilian of Habsburg’s Egyptian collection in relation to its context, as well as the choices and interests of the collector, offering an opportunity to reflect on the profound transformation in the approach to cultural heritage: from an object of aesthetic enjoyment and elite collecting to a historical testimony of public interest, intended for study, conservation, and collective access.

Thanks to the collaboration with the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the scientific contribution of the Museo Egizio, the exhibition also proposes a critical reinterpretation of the collection as a historical product, bringing into dialogue the history of collecting, archaeological research, and the evolution of museum practices.