Vacaville residents don’t have to hop on a 12-hour flight to get a taste of Italy — they can visit the new “Sole Italiano: Una Nuova Storia” exhibit at the Vacaville Museum.
The exhibit, which opened July 24 and runs through Nov. 14, explores the experience of Italian American immigrants who arrived in Solano County between the 1850s and 1950s, as well as the generations who have called the area home since.
“We tell that story through narratives of families that are in this area, that have ancestors and who have come to America from Italy,” said Clara Dawson, executive director of the Vacaville Museum.
The current exhibit, SOLE ITALIANO: Una Nuova Storia at the Vacaville Museum, explores the rich heritage of Italian American communities in Solano County. (Chris Riley/The Reporter)
The exhibit maps the roots of local families across 10 distinct Italian regions and is an invitation for visitors to reflect on identity, belonging and the immigrant experience that connects everyone in Solano County.
“We have an enclave of Italian Americans that stretches back over a century or more at this point,” Dawson said. “There’s three waves of immigration that we outline, and we do have some families that span those. We definitely have a strong Italian American community here in Solano County.”
Among the rare artifacts on display are a 1903 miniature Bible carried by 9-year-old Pierina Canclini and tactile stations with historical Po Valley flax cloth. Several of the showcased items were loaned by the community.
“There’s lots to learn about the process that it takes to get to America, becoming a citizen and then also discussing assimilation versus preservation of traditions,” Dawson said.
The exhibit also features different interactive activities, including pasta making, poetry and painting. The pasta-making lesson was hosted on Monday by Joe Murdaca of Pietro’s No. 1.
“Every single exhibit that we have here in the main gallery has a slate of programs that goes with it, and that’s because we can’t fit everything that we want to fit in the exhibit in,” Dawson said. “It’s a way for people to engage further with the exhibit.”
The current exhibit, SOLE ITALIANO: Una Nuova Storia at the Vacaville Museum, explores the rich heritage of Italian American communities in Solano County. (Chris Riley/The Reporter)
The sold-out class of 25 learned to make ravioli and tagliatelle from Murdaca, learning about the history of the Murdaca family and Pietro’s No. 1.
“Joe Murdaca’s family is one of the families that’s discussed in this particular exhibit,” Dawson said. “He was really excited to share the knowledge and the traditions that he’s kept over the years from those family members who had direct connections to Italy.”
The next activity is Poetry in the Palazzo, which invites established poets and novices alike to enjoy an evening of poetry in the museum’s courtyard. The event is scheduled for Sept. 12 from 6-8:30 p.m.
The exhibit also features a book club that includes four readings — one for each month from July through October. Meetings are held on the last Thursday of every month at 4 p.m.
“It’s a chance for people to dive into some of the topics that we discussed,” Dawson said. “It’s a mix of fiction and nonfiction, so people can pick and choose what makes sense for them.”