Italian American Museum Has Banner Year
By Nancy DeSanti
AMHS Members at a visit to the IAMDC shortly after its opening.
The Italian American Museum of Washington, D.C. had quite a successful year in 2025, welcoming hundreds of visitors, expanding its educational outreach, strengthening partnerships, preserving important stories through its archive and oral history projects, and hosting cultural and civic events that brought our community together. From student visits and lectures to commemorations, exhibitions, and its fifth anniversary celebration, the museum was active almost every week of the year. AMHS members will recall that the Society was one of the original donors, and a number of its members have toured the museum.
Officially named the Robert A. Facchina Italian American Museum of Washington, DC (IAMDC), it preserves, promotes and celebrates the history, culture and contributions of Italians and Italian Americans in the Washington, D.C. area.
The museum capped off its successful year with a fifth anniversary celebration in December at Casa Italiana for the board members, donors, volunteers, and special guests including Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, Comptroller General Eugene Dodaro, and principal donor Robert Facchina and members of his family.
During the year, the museum had more than 700 visitors, not including informal Sunday visits. Visitors included community members, students, diplomats, local officials and Italian government representatives
Also, 120 students visited the museum, including students from local high schools, Georgetown University and George Washington University. The museum hosted visiting student groups from Italy, including schools from La Spezia and Falconara. IAMDC continued its partnership with Ente Promotore through the ITALY–USA Twinning Project, connecting Italian and U.S. schools.
Italian Ambassador Marco Peronaci visited the museum and shared his enthusiasm on official embassy social media channels. Members of the Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington, D.C. toured the museum, including national tourism leaders. IAMDC launched its first online tour scheduling system, making it easier for visitors to book tours. (To make a reservation, click HERE).
And IAMDC continued to attract attention locally, nationally and internationally. WTOP reporter Matt Kaufax featured the museum and the Briscola Club on his popular program “Matt About Town,” after a guided tour of the museum. The local NBC News station interviewed IAMDC’s Anna Isgro and Liz DiGregorio for several segments highlighting the legacy of Italians and Italian Americans in our area, in advance of its coverage of the Olympic Winter Games Milano/Cortina 2026.
Other events included several legacy lectures, an author presentation by Anthony DeSantis who launched his new book “Stowaway in First Class,” a photography presentation by Vito L. Tanzi, a poetry reading by Mike Maggio, and an artists’ reception celebrating new works added to the museum’s art collection.
Website updates continued throughout the year on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram (hashtag #italianamericanmuseumofdc)/
During the celebration this year of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the American Republic, the museum plan to highlight Italian Americans who have made significant contributions to the United States.
Spring 2026