«Cose di pazzi. Memorie di vite poi recluse»: la mostra a Salerno

The State Archives of Salerno will host an exhibition featuring personal belongings from patients of the former Vittorio Emanuele II psychiatric hospital from September 22 to October 15, 2026. Titled "Crazy things. Memories of lives then closed," the display includes documents, accessories, and small tools that patients handed over to the hospital's storage office before being admitted.

The items were kept in sealed envelopes within the former asylum's storage for decades. Organizers say opening these envelopes helps reconstruct the stories of the men and women held in the wards of the Vittorio Emanuele II facility to restore dignity to lives forgotten by society, families, and friends. The exhibition provides a reflection on the history of Italian sanitary care.

Founded in 1883, the Vittorio Emanuele II hospital operated until 1998 and served the provinces of Avellino, Bari, Campobasso, Cosenza, Foggia, and Salerno. The exhibition is organized by the Archivio di Stato di Salerno, the ASL Salerno, the Museo diocesano San Prisco, and the Società Salernitana di Storia Patria.