VIS Comensis is a multimedia museum space dedicated to four central figures in the cultural history of Como: Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger, Paolo Giovio and Alessandro Volta. Different personalities in terms of era and discipline, united by their ability to convey knowledge, curiosity and wonder.
Go to the VIS Comensis website >https://viscomensis.fondazionealessandrovolta.it/
The name VIS has a dual meaning: it is an acronym for Virtuale Interattivo Storico (Virtual Interactive Historical), but it also recalls the Latin term vis, meaning “strength”. This is a symbolic reference to the intellectual and creative energy that the four Savi left as a legacy to the city and to European culture.
The museum is located in the ancient ‘district of wonders’, a place historically linked to amazement and curiosity. VIS Comensis celebrates curiosity as the driving force behind knowledge, in ideal continuity with the Paolo Giovio Museum and the humanistic and scientific tradition of Como.
Within VIS Comensis, writing and images engage in constant dialogue. Projections, audiovisual content and texts are designed to stimulate visitors’ desire for knowledge, evoking the encyclopaedic method of the Plinys, Giovio’s museum vision and Volta’s experimental approach.
The exhibition is divided into three distinct areas: the Sala dei Savi (Hall of the Wise), dedicated to the story of the four figures; the Sala delle Meraviglie (Hall of Wonders), with immersive installations and audio-visual content; and L’Inventario del Mondo (The Inventory of the World), a space for temporary exhibitions dedicated to the history and culture of the Como area.
After hosting exhibitions dedicated to Pliny the Elder and, in 2026, to the great women of Como’s history, in 2027 VIS Comensis will be dedicated to Alessandro Volta, with a special exhibition on his discoveries on the bicentenary of his death, in conjunction with the Voltian Celebrations programme.
VIS Comensis is a project by the Alessandro Volta Foundation and the Province of Como, with scientific coordination by the Accademia Pliniana. It is part of the MAKE COMO project, coordinated by LarioFiere and co-funded by the Cariplo Foundation, reflecting an active cultural network in the area.
