For the first time, Italy will have a jewelry museum. It will be opened by Fiera di Vicenza, which organizes the classic VicenzaOro. The museum was presented in Milan and will become the first permanent museum in Europe completely dedicated to the goldsmith’s art. It will open on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2014, in the Basilica Palladiana, a 16th-century building and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. «It is not just our initiative, but a gift to Italy, destined to become everyone’s heritage», explained Matteo Marzotto, president of Fiera di Vicenza. «The museum, 500 square meters curated and directed by Alba Cappellieri, professor of jewelry design at the Milan Polytechnic, was conceived, financed and managed by Fiera with the patronage of the Municipality of Vicenza, and set up by Patricia Urquiola: «We are the last stone in the restoration of the basilica, which turns 400 this year. We have created a ground floor with a bookshop and a multipurpose room and, on the upper floor, nine spaces”, said the Spanish designer. Fiera di Vicenza, which closed 2013 with revenues of over 31 million euros, a net result of over 1 million and an EBITDA of 15% (“which could reach 20% in 2014”, said Marzotto) also presented its projects for 2015: 18 events, the new exhibition format VicenzaOro The boutique show (23/28 January 2015 and 5/9 September), the first edition of VicenzaOro Dubai (23/26 April) in joint venture with Dubai World Centre, and the new HIT event (14/16 February) dedicated to hunting, the outdoors and sport shooting.
