A significant new acquisition enriches the collection of the Byron and Risorgimento Museums and offers a valuable opportunity for a visit during the Easter holidays. As always, the Museums will be open continuously from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
The new exhibit is the engraving Lord Byron’s Oath at the Tomb of Markos Botsaris in Missolonghi, now displayed in the final room of the Byron Museum. It was recently acquired by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Ravenna and is being presented to the public following careful restoration carried out by Formula Servizi of Forlì, a company specializing in paper conservation.
This work provides an important contribution to understanding Byron’s political commitment, depicting him as committed to the Greek cause. The inclusion of this picture in the museum expands the museum’s interpretative perspective on Byron to a European level: the Greek struggle for independence forms part of the broader Philhellenic movement, largely rooted in England and strongly supported by Byron’s friend Percy Bysshe Shelley. In this sense, the new acquisition enriches the museum’s narrative by highlighting Byron as a politically active figure inspired by libertarian ideals that, stemming from the legacy of the French Revolution, spread across early 19th-century Europe—first in Italy through his involvement in the Risorgimento uprisings, and later in Greece.
As one visitor remarked a few days ago: “The Museums are so rich in detail and interactivity that only on a second visit can one fully appreciate all the hidden treasures in their narratives, both traditional and especially digital.” That this is true is demonstrated by the many visitors who return more than once, drawn by the unique atmosphere of a place where history and literature remain vividly alive, faithfully recounting the events that took place within these very rooms. This new “treasure” in the Greece Room offers yet another reason to enjoy a visit rich in history, literature, and beauty.
For further information: www.museibyronedelrisorgimento.it or +39 0544 1963585
Ravenna, 1 April 2026
Attachment: photo of the engraving Lord Byron’s Oath at the Tomb of Markos Botsaris in Missolonghi
