by InTrieste
After stops in Rome, Naples, Turin, and Catania, the traveling exhibition Tolkien. Man, Professor, Author will conclude its run in Trieste. The show, dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien, the Oxford scholar and creator of Middle-earth, opens on September 19, 2025, at the Salone degli Incanti and runs through January 11, 2026.
The exhibition explores Tolkien’s life and work, tracing both his academic career and his literary imagination. Visitors will encounter manuscripts, letters, photographs, memorabilia, and artworks inspired by his writings, including The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. The display also highlights Tolkien’s background as a philologist and his lifelong fascination with language, mythology, and storytelling.
Organizers say the presentation aims to immerse audiences in the landscapes, languages, and histories of Tolkien’s secondary world while also offering a portrait of the man behind it. “It is with great pride that Trieste welcomes this important exhibition,” said Giorgio Rossi, the city’s councilor for culture and tourism. “This is not only a cultural event, but an invitation to discover the man behind the myth.”
The exhibition is promoted by Italy’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the University of Oxford and produced by C.O.R. Creare Organizzare Realizzare with the Associazione Culturale Costruire Cultura. It is curated by Oronzo Cilli with co-curation and organization by Alessandro Nicosia.
Trieste marks the final stop for what organizers describe as the most comprehensive Tolkien retrospective ever staged in Italy, supported by the city, the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, and the Ministry of Culture.
