A project that was born from a single intuition and is spread across two locations, the Salce National Collection Museum, in Treviso, and the National Museum of Palazzo Besta, in Teglio in Valtellina. Two exhibitions united by the same concept, created by
Sergio Campagnolo, for an operation promoted by the Ministry of Culture – through the Regional Directorates of National Museums of Veneto and Lombardy, by the Veneto and Lombardy Regions, with the collaboration of the various territorial institutions. The focus of the exhibitions, both included in the Cultural Olympics Program on the occasion of Milano Cortina 2026, is the story of the evolution of winter sports from the first pioneering experiences to the affirmation of sports tourism, through the changes in daily life and the profound impact on the mountain landscape. Each of the two exhibition venues – the Salce Museum and Palazzo Besta – addresses, in an original way, the story of what was an extraordinary evolution of customs, as well as of the economy.
70 years after Cortina hosted the 1956 Winter Games and 20 years after Turin 2006, dates that marked the history of skiing and winter sports, in the two exhibitions visitors are led to share great stories, achievements and values. The first to open its doors is the Treviso exhibition, A MAGICAL WINTER. White emotions from the Salce Collection, welcomed by the National Salce Collection Museum, curated by Elisabetta Pasqualin. The exhibition, set up in both locations of the Treviso Museum, in Santa Margherita and San Gaetano, will be open to visitors from 21 November 2025 to 29 March 2026. What is documented here is what was a true social revolution, when winter, from being a feared season, which for many, especially in the high mountains, meant poverty, difficulty, isolation, was transformed into the best time for mountain communities and their guests. What is brought to life in the exhibition are the magic of the snow-capped peaks, the atmosphere of the ski resorts of the Alps when skiing and winter sports went from being a pioneering enterprise to activities possible for everyone, the birth of the Christmas markets, the moments of celebration at high altitude… In short, everything that has cleared the winter season making it beautiful. As is known, Salce boasts the most important Italian collection of historical posters and 
several beautiful ones will be on display in the exhibition, some of which have never been shown to the public until now. A section will be dedicated to “Films by 
Christmas”, very popular productions, whose posters are often signed by the greatest Italian poster designer, Renato Casaro. The posters will be just one of the elements of this large exhibition. Underlying them is the story of the transformation and the history of the evolution of the Venetian and Belluno mountains, from a land from which to escape to a destination to aspire to. And the birth of the boot industry, a world-class excellence, in the Treviso area. On display, in addition to the posters, there will be video documents, memorabilia, sports boots and equipment, historical materials and documents, to offer an engaging and precise story. The Belluno Emigration Museum and the “Sports Boot and Shoe Museum” of the Montebelluna Sportsystem are collaborating on the Treviso exhibition with important loans. Among the “finds” of the latter, boots and materials designed and created by the workers of the Montebelluna companies, worn by the greatest champions. The ’56 Olympic Torch will introduce the story of the legendary first Italian edition and the Cortina Olympics. Not only history but also current events on display: in the San Gaetano venue you can admire the winning posters of the competition promoted by the Ministry of Culture, reserved for young people, for an Olympic poster. “the Salce Museum – states its director Elisabetta Pasqualin – opens the doors to an exhibition that wants to tell the story of winter in all its aspects, hard and difficult when nature was stepmother, exciting and fun when winter sports reveal themselves to be an important resource. To crown the story obviously the posters of the collection cannot be missing, from which the red thread that links the extraordinary nature of the tale of the mountains and
of the Cortina 1956 Olympic Games to the emotions of those of Milan Cortina 2026″
From 27 January 2026 it will be the turn of the exhibition “VETTE. Stories of sport and mountains”, visible at Palazzo Besta (Teglio, SO) until the end of August. The The exhibition itinerary, divided between internal and external spaces, intends to celebrate the relationship between mountains, winter sports and culture. The format includes a story divided into three main thematic nuclei: the 
history of the Olympics and Paralympics and winter sports; the evolution of sports tourism and its impact on the Alpine landscape and on the collective imagination and the role of Olympic and Paralympic women, with stories of female champions and challenges in the world of sport. The exhibition also includes a site-specific artistic installation in the palace garden, created by artists rooted in Valtellina but known nationally, which invites reflection on the relationship between nature, man and the future. Exhibition promoted by the Ministry of Culture – Regional Directorate of Veneto National Museums – Salce Collection National Museum, in collaboration with the Emigration Museum and Sportsystem Museum, with the contribution of the Veneto Region and the Chamber of Commerce of Treviso and Belluno and the patronage of the Municipality of Treviso, Confindustria Veneto est, Fondazione Sportsystem, RAI Veneto and the Cultural Olympiad of the Milano Cortina Federation 2026.
Carlo Franza