Castello d'Albertis - Museum of World Cultures

The Castello d'Albertis Museum of World Cultures is housed in the neo-Gothic castle at Corso Dogali 18 on the Montegalletto hill in Genoa, built between 1886 and 1892 for the navigator Captain Enrico Alberto d'Albertis to designs by Alfredo d'Andrade. The museum's core is the ethnographic and nautical collection that d'Albertis assembled on his voyages and through exchanges, later bequeathed to the city with the castle. Its objects come from the Americas, Asia and Oceania and include masks, weapons, textiles, ceremonial items and everyday tools, along with navigational instruments, maps and models from the captain's seafaring career. The Museo delle Culture del Mondo later expanded the original holdings with further ethnographic acquisitions from the city's civic collections, so that the displays now cover indigenous cultures and the history of collecting itself. The curatorial approach is thematic and geographic, grouping objects by region and cultural theme within rooms that preserve the character of the captain's house, including his study and cabin-like spaces. Current museum practice encourages visitors to consider the colonial context in which many pieces were gathered, and interpretation has been updated accordingly. The castle was damaged in World War II and restored, and the collections have been reorganised in the 21st century with improved conservation and display. The museum belongs to the city's Musei di Genova network, and information on hours and prices should be confirmed by telephone at +39 010 2723820 or via museidigenova.it. A visit gives a view of late 19th-century collecting, the history of Genoese exploration and the global connections of the port. The terrace outside provides a wide view over the harbour and the old centre, and the walk from the lower town is steep, so visitors should plan time for the climb. The museum complements the castle's architectural interest, treated separately in this guide.