Italian American Museum of Washington DC

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Italian American Museum of Washington DC

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CISC Inc / Italian American Museum of Washington DC, promotes & preserves Italian and ItalianAmerican heritage & culture in Washington DC area

The Italian American Museum of Washington DC is a private museum. It is closed during July-August. To make any appointment call 202-643-9514 and leave a message.

10/25/2026

The Italian American Museum of Washington DC was honored to help bring together a meaningful day of reflection and conversation at Casa Italiana on October 23, commemorating the 125th anniversary of St. John Baptist Scalabrini’s historic visit to the United States and Washington, DC.

IAMDC President Francesco Isgrò served as co-coordinator and master of ceremonies. The symposium brought together Church leaders, members of religious congregations, legal professionals, researchers, students, and community members to explore Scalabrini’s legacy and the challenges facing migrants today.

As Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi observed in his concluding remarks, “the way a country receives migrants helps determine not only their future, but its own.”

Our heartfelt thanks to the museum staff and volunteers who helped the program run smoothly, including Claudia Bonaccorsi, Mary Ann Re, Anna Isgro, David Scibetta, Veronica Vato, and Simonetta Baldassari. Their time, care, and dedication helped make the day possible.

Thank you to our speakers, fellow organizers, and everyone who joined us!

Photos by Claudia Bonaccorsi and Mary Ann Re.

10/20/2026

The latest episode of the IAMDC America250 Podcast is now available!

In Episode 7, we explore the life and achievements of John Cabot (c. 1450–c. 1499), the Italian navigator and explorer known for his expedition to North America.

Dr. Dona De Sanctis interviews Dr. Lydia Towns, Assistant Professor of World History in the Department of History at Stephen F. Austin State University and author of In Search of Trade and Fortune: John Cabot, Christopher Columbus, and the Making of the Atlantic.

A special thank you to our talented podcast producer, Giovanni Sciannameo, and the IAMDC team for making this episode possible!

Listen now on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0NqiTjljxOE1XNpycR8Tfo?si=WXhl_YtGRSC8wFKzVr0SCA

10/20/2026

A beautiful evening celebrating Italian heritage at Villa Firenze yesterday! 🇮🇹🇺🇸

The Italian American Museum of Washington DC (IAMDC) was delighted to attend Italian Heritage Night, hosted by Ambassador Marco Peronaci. As Peronaci noted, Italy’s success in the United States owes much to the “great spirits and DNA of Italy” that reach every corner of this country.

The celebration offered a welcome opportunity to reconnect with old friends, meet new ones, and share the story of our museum.

We enjoyed speaking about the Italian American community in the Washington area with Erica Di Giovancarlo, the Italian Trade Agency’s (ICE) Trade Commissioner in New York and Executive Director of its U.S. Network.

We thank Vivita Berzina, Ambassador Peronaci’s wife, for introducing us to Andrew Giuliani. We enjoyed sharing the story of IAMDC and President Isgro invited him to visit whenever his White House schedule permits.

Our thanks to Ambassador Peronaci and Ms. Berzina for bringing us together in celebration of our shared heritage!

10/19/2026

Wonderful to reconnect with good friends of the Italian American Museum of Washington DC—and make new ones—at Saturday night’s National Italian American Foundation gala!

The evening brought together people who share a commitment to preserving Italian American heritage and passing it on to future generations. For IAMDC, it was a welcome opportunity to renew friendships, share news of the museum’s work, and introduce new friends to our mission.

Congratulations to NIAF and this year’s honorees, and thank you for bringing our community together!

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10/17/2026

What does the future hold for Italian America?

The Italian American Museum of Washington DC was delighted to welcome Commendatore John F. Calvelli, Chairman of the National Italian American Foundation, to deliver our fifth annual Italian Legacy Lecture, “The Future of Italian America.”

Before the lecture, Calvelli was given a tour of the museum.

In his introduction, IAMDC President Francesco Isgro’ welcomed Calvelli and also recognized former Board Chairman Ciro De Falco for conceiving the lecture series, now in its fifth year. Museum Vice Chair Mary Ann Re, then introduced Calvelli.

Reflecting on our community’s history while looking ahead with optimism, Calvelli offered a compelling message: “The future of Italian America will not be determined by how many people claim Italian ancestry on a census form. It will be determined by whether young people find meaning, opportunity, friendship, mentorship, and purpose within our institutions.”

A lively Q&A followed, with the conversation continuing throughout the reception.

Thank you to Commendatore John Calvelli and everyone who joined us for a thoughtful conversation about the Italian American legacy—and our shared responsibility to carry it forward.

The Fifth Annual Legacy Lecture was sponsored by Francesco Isgro and Liz DiGregorio.

10/15/2026

For Italian American Heritage and Culture Month, we are sharing the entire October issue of Voce Italiana for free! Read the October issue here:

https://efe49173-a2bb-44fd-9308-a020b610dd44.usrfiles.com/ugd/efe491_75b791549ff24f5fa3cbed1dafaf0d80.pdf

In this October issue, we celebrate Italian American Heritage and Culture Month with stories highlighting the people, history, traditions, and contributions of Italian Americans in Washington, DC and across the country.

We feature the upcoming commemoration of the 125th anniversary of St. John Baptist Scalabrini’s historic 1901 visit to the United States and Washington, DC; the 100th anniversary of A. Litteri and its place in the history of Washington’s Italian American community; the America250 perspective of six University of Bologna students on the United States; the unveiling of Emperor Trajan at the Embassy of Italy; Italian fashion and its connection to American culture; Italian w**e and w**emaking traditions; the Columbus Day celebrations in Washington; and much more.

This issue also remembers with sadness the passing of Joseph Sciorra, an important scholar, folklorist, and cultural historian whose work greatly contributed to our understanding and appreciation of Italian American culture and traditions. He will be deeply missed.

Thank you to all our advertisers, sponsors, patrons, and subscribers for supporting Voce Italiana!

Voce Italiana subscription rates for 2026:
– Subscriber: $30
– Patron: $50
– Sponsor: $100

We hope you enjoy this issue and consider supporting Voce Italiana by subscribing at one of these levels.

10/13/2026

Last week, the IAMDC welcomed a fantastic group from Dupont Circle Village, led by Beth Merricks. Dupont Circle Village connects members through cultural and social activities, educational opportunities, services, and support. We were thrilled to be part of their fall programming!

Our IAMDC Board Vice President, Mary Ann Re, and Program Manager, Claudia Bonaccorsi, warmly welcomed the group and led a tour of our exhibitions. We enjoyed the opportunity to share the many contributions of Italian and Italian Americans to Washington, DC.

10/13/2026

The Italian American Museum of Washington DC was pleased to participate in the 2026 Columbus Day ceremony at the Columbus Memorial across from Union Station. The observance was sponsored by the National Christopher Columbus Association.
Speakers included Italian Ambassador Marco Peronaci; Guillermo Corral van Damme, deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Spain; Kevin Lilly, assistant secretary of the interior for fish and wildlife and parks; and Anita Bevacqua McBride, vice president of the National Italian American Foundation.
Following the reading of the presidential proclamation, James Iacona of Yardley, Pennsylvania, winner of NIAF’s National Youth Columbus Essay Contest, shared his winning essay.
The Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Color Corps presented the colors, and Washington Auxiliary Bishop Gary R. Studniewski offered the invocation, calling on us to build bridges across cultures and within our own communities.
Representing the IAMDC, President Francesco Isgrò and Vice Chair Mary Ann Re joined 18 other diplomatic, civic and cultural organizations in presenting memorial wreaths.
It was a meaningful opportunity to honor Italian American heritage and reflect on the values of service, mutual respect and friendship.

10/12/2026

Today our community celebrated Columbus Day and Italian American Heritage and Culture Month with Mass at Holy Rosary Church celebrated by Father Maurizio Maifredi, followed by a civic ceremony at Casa Italiana.
Thank you to our speakers: First Counselor Alberto Comito of the Embassy of Italy; Michael Montanti, president of the Lido Civic Club; Joseph O. Njoku, state treasurer of the DC Knights of Columbus; Chris Pierno, vice president of the National Christopher Columbus Association; and Maria Marigliano for singing the national anthems of Italy and the United States. IAMDC president Francesco Isgro served as master of ceremonies. In his concluding remarks, president Isgro noted in particular that "pride in our heritage should bring us together. It should never become a reason to question one another's loyalty, diminish another community or turn neighbors into political adversaries."
Special thanks to the DC Knights of Columbus, whose presence in ceremonial regalia added dignity and meaning to the occasion.
Sponsored by the Lido Civic Club, the Italian American Museum of Washington DC and Holy Rosary Church, the celebration brought our community together in a spirit of faith, heritage and fellowship. Thank you to everyone who helped make the day possible!

Concluding remarks by president Isgro. https://youtu.be/XzRmprdpTi8

Address

595 Third Street NW
Washington D.C., DC
20001

Telephone

+12026439514

Website

https://www.casaitalianacenter.org/

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