Coming together to tell the story of the Olympics
The major exhibitions for to discover the character of sport, its values and its challenges
How does an athlete prepare before an Olympic competition? What is the story that links a pair of skis to the farmers of the Alps? How have artists represented the challenges of the human body through the centuries?
A single point of view is not enough to answer all these questions. We need to work as a team and bring complementary skills to the table. This is how the 'Combinazioni' (Combinations) project came about, bringing together museums and cultural institutions in Trentino every year around the same theme, to explore it from different perspectives.
In 2025-2026, the theme is 'Combinazioni_caratteri sportivi' (Combinations_sport characters), a project conceived and promoted by the Department of Culture of the Autonomous Province of Trento as part of the Milan Cortina 2026 Cultural Olympics, a vast programme of artistic and cultural initiatives that promote Olympic and Paralympic values through culture, Italian heritage and sport.
Great exhibitions in Trentino's main museums and many other cultural events throughout the region. Dance, performances, meetings, and excursions to promote Olympic and Paralympic values through culture, artistic heritage, and sport. And to seek new combinations for unexpected interpretations.
Performance - Le Gallerie
Since 2024, Le Gallerie in Trento has been hosting the exhibition project “Anelli di congiunzione” (Connecting Rings). Three exhibitions, one per year, to discuss sports-related topics. 2024 was the year of Records. Until 6 January 2026, Le Gallerie will host the exhibition dedicated to Sports Performances, while the final act will take place from 29 January 2026: Competition, sport featured as a drive for improvement and for overcoming obstacles.
Sport Challenging the Body – MART Museum
A two-millennia-long journey through the history of art, in search of works that celebrate sport and focus on the human body and its victories, but also its fragility. The exhibition features over 300 works, 150 artists, 8 thematic sections, and 2 curators. “Sport. Le sfide del corpo” (Sport. The Challenges of the Body), on display at MART Museum, in Rovereto, from 1 November 2025 to 22 March 2026.
IMAGINE: Fabrizio Ferri_Untitled #4 (serie ERA)_1995_Courtesy l'artista_Ph. Fabrizio Ferri
Tools. From work to sporting dreams – METS Museum
Sleds, snowshoes and skis: today we use them for sport or walks in the snow, but they were once essential tools in the daily life of the farmers who inhabited the Alps between the 19th and 20th century. This is the story told by the exhibition “Attrezzi. Dal lavoro al sogno spirtivo” (Tools. From Work to the Sporting Dream) at the METS Museum of San Michele all’Adige, on display from 6 December 2025 to 31 March, 2026.
Winter in Art – Buonconsiglio Castle
Expanding upon the theme of the Winter Olympics, the Buonconsiglio Castle in Trento will host, from December 5, 2025 to March 15, the exhibition “L'Inverno nell' arte. Paesaggi, allegorie e vita quotidiana.” (Winter in Art: Landscapes, Allegories, and Everyday Life). It is a journey into the past, between reality and imagination, to tell the story of the coldest months. From the daily life of the lower classes to the pastimes of aristocrats, up to the allegorical representations of the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
PAINTING: Jan Wildens, Mese di Gennaio - Pattinatori sul ghiaccio, olio su tela, 1614 circa. Genova, Musei di Strada Nuova, Palazzo Rosso
Ready for the shot – Palazzo delle Albere
Movement, athletic gestures, strong emotions, 'impossible' feats and confronting one's limits are all perfect ingredients for a photographer searching for a breathtaking shot. From 6 December 2025 to 15 March 2026, the Palazzo delle Albere in Trento will host "Ready for the shot. Historical photographs exhibition and video mapping", an exhibition of vintage photographs by Fratelli Pedrotti. The exhibition will explore the relationship between the sporting phenomenon and its cultural representations in relation to technological progress, society and the environment.
Beyond the finish line – MUSE
How does an athlete prepare for an Olympic competition? You can find out at MUSE, the science museum of Trento, by visiting the exhibition “Oltre il traguardo. La scienza che muove lo sport” (Beyond the finish line. The Science that Drives Sport), on display from February 1st to September 27th 2026. From studies on athletes’ performance to their psychological preparation: a scientific analysis of sport and its challenges.
