The new museum of San Pietro al Natisone is dedicated to the cultural landscape that stretches from the Julian Alps to the Adriatic Sea, from Mangart Mountain to the Gulf of Trieste. The particularity of this museum is that it is not defined by a collection of objects, yet it has narrative.

The museum is conceived as an active, dynamic and inspiring place, based on communication; the places unfold and are narrated through aspects that characterise the culture of the area. This is a place where artistic experimentation and territories of memory are weaved together. The museum offers interactive itineraries and multimedia paintings of a landscape interpreted as a cohesion of people and places, stories and memories able to arouse motivation and reflection. Through narration we get to know the landscape, we can listen to it and identify the language as connective of many cultural variations, microcosms, overflowing with stories.

The museum is open to anyone who wants to learn about the history of the area in which the Slovenes of the provinces of Udine, Gorizia and Trieste have settled. It is also open to the residents, who know little about or do not appreciate the cultural and environmental specificity. Of course, it is open to tourists, both Italian and foreign. And finally, it is open to young people who can learn un an open  and dynamic environment.     

The museum is designed with scientific rigour but it also works as a communication device. The new technologies installed are key elements of this interactive museum; the visitor is not a simple spectator but the protagonist of the knowledge process. The museum is also a documentation centre and an archive in constant evolution. Moreover, it is a research centre with designated areas for study and research, intertwining relations with the territory, public institutions and private collections.

Donatella Ruttar, who has conceived, designed and coordinated the interactive museum SMO.

The SMO museum was granted the High Patronage of the President of the Republic of Italy Giorgio Napolitano at its opening ceremony.

The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, granted his High Patronage to the SMO museum.

This is an interactive installation projected on a wall and based on Google maps. It allows the visitor to explore and familiarise with the history of all the important names and places of the area, moving freely on the interactive map. Giorgio Banchig and Riccardo Ruttar were responsible for the contents. The section about landscape and architecture allows the visitor to identify and familiarise with the relevant issues of the area. The contents were drawn up by the architect Renzo Rucli and the whole interactive and multimedia project was designed by Totem.

This is a three-screen video installation to outline the seven cultural landscapes that characterise the area, from Tarvisio to Trieste. The visitor can see, listen and explore the area in order to identify its traces, history, beauty and state of abandon. The work is a reflection on the essence of the contemporary landscape. It has been realised by the director Paolo Comuzzi in collaboration with Andrea Trangoni. The interactive and multimedia project has been realised by Totem, especially Antonio, Samuele and Valerio.    

This is an amazing library which collects the most significant literature books of the border area and magically connects the visitor with the author of the work. This installation has a strong communicative power. The contents were drawn up by the poet Michele Obit, whereas the videos were realised by the director Paolo Comuzzi. Antonio Della Marina and Samuele Polistina were in charge of the interactive project. It is enough to place the book on the table to listen to it and watch the author self introduction video.

Two illustrators present two topics of the local history.

“Language in time” is a live painting, realised by the well-known illustrator Cosimo Miorelli, and describes the history of the written Slovenian language. The music is by Atta Aman tribute and the text is by Živa Gruden.

“The History of the Natisone Valleys” represents the history of the Natisone Valleys seen by the krivapeta Ivanka. The drawings are by Moreno Tomasetig, local illustrator and cartoonist, and the text is by Giorgio Banchig.

This is a great interactive music installation which allows the visitor to familiarise with the songs and the music of the seven cultural landscapes. The visitor will discover similarities, differences and uniqueness. The audio content is by Davide Clodig, the multimedia and interactivity has been realised by Totem in collaboration with Valerio Bergnach and Nikam has dealt with the images and sounds.

This is a sound installation in which different voices, memories and stories can be listened with headpones.  The language used for them is the local dialect in all of its extremely rich variations. The work collects the linguistic heritage of the border area. Davide Clodig took care of the sounds and Valerio, Antonio and Samuele have dealt with the project interactivity.

In this installation all the museum’s sounds are stored and organised, and the visitor can listen to all of the archived material through headphones. Davide Clodig, Totem and Nikam have realised the archive.