Museo Villa del Balbianello

The American collections preserved at Villa del Balbianello were assembled during the numerous journeys that its last owner, the mountaineer Guido Monzino, undertook around the world to explore and get to know the main mountain destinations of the planet. Other objects were purchased by Monzino on the antiquities market. Overall, the Monzino collection includes more than 400 Inuit objects (Arctic) and artifacts from Mesoamerica, Central America, and the Central and Southern Andes. Particularly noteworthy are the rich collection of Inuit artifacts and the important series of Maya ceramic figurines from Jaina (Campeche).

Following the death of Guido Monzino in 1988, the materials, together with Villa del Balbianello—which he had purchased in 1974—were bequeathed to FAI – Fondo Ambiente Italiano.