Galleria Rifugio di Monfalcone
Municipality of Monfalcone
- Municipality of Monfalcone
OUR SERVICES
- Graphic Design
- Sound Design
- Supply & Installation
An immersive journey into collective memory
In the heart of Monfalcone, the Galleria Rifugio — an air-raid tunnel built in 1943 during the Second World War — has been transformed into a multimedia pathway that recounts the history of the city and the lives of its citizens who found shelter there during the bombings. The project, designed by ETT within the framework of the Integrated Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development of the Coast and Karst, restores a new identity to a space marked by both pain and hope, making it today a place of shared reflection.
The exhibition concept is rooted in an immersive, multisensory approach, capable of transporting visitors into the dramatic experience of the civilian population who sought refuge inside the tunnel during wartime raids. Communication elements and evocative soundscapes have been carefully designed to engage without overwhelming, encouraging historical, sociological, and ethnographic reflection on the protective role of the shelter and the profoundly human experiences it hosted.
To make the entrance area at Salita Granatieri more welcoming, dedicated signage and lighting systems guide visitors inside. Six illustrative panels introduce the visit with texts, images, and infographics, preparing the audience for the narrative. A timeline carved into the narrow rocky passage marks the beginning of the 270-meter-long tunnel and highlights the key moments of the city’s wartime history.
Along the way, side areas become thematic spaces for further insight and contemplation. Here, visitors encounter exhibition panels, sound installations, and life-sized human figures that bring to life the testimonies of men, women, and children who once sought shelter in the site.
Each figure, made of sheet metal silhouettes backlit with LED and equipped with integrated audio, comes alive with a simple gesture: the guide activates the narration by placing an NFC-tagged bracelet near the reader, allowing the voices to recount first-hand stories of fear, waiting, solidarity, and survival.
Immersive soundscapes recreate the noises of bombings and daily life inside the shelter, amplifying the emotional impact of the experience. The cold, damp, and dark atmosphere of the tunnel is transformed into a narrative environment that engages visitors emotionally, inviting them to confront lived histories and develop their own personal reflections.
The installation concludes with rest areas and words engraved into metal sheets, evoking the themes of memory, community, and resilience. More than a repository of recollections, the Galleria Rifugio becomes a place that generates new memories, restoring centrality to a once-forgotten site and integrating it into the urban and cultural fabric of the present day.
