Associazione Culturale Luigi Scanagatta

The Associazione Culturale Luigi Scanagatta is a non-profit voluntary cultural association based in Varenna, a small town on the shores of Lake Como in the Province of Lecco, Lombardy, Italy. It is named after Luigi Scanagatta, a naturalist and scholar born in Varenna on 11 March 1914, who became internationally known in the field of natural sciences and who created the town's ornithological and natural-science museum together with its substantial library. Scanagatta also became famous in Italy for taking part in the television quiz show "Lascia o raddoppia" in 1956, an adventure he undertook in order to fund the restoration fund of the prepositural church of S. Giorgio. He died on 14 May 1977. After Scanagatta's death, a group of friends and passionate naturalists took on the voluntary management of the museum. In 1994 the Associazione Culturale "Luigi Scanagatta" was formally created, combining naturalistic interests with historical and photographic ones. The association managed the museum until 1999, when it was closed by the municipal administration that owns it. Since then the association has continued its activities through various cultural sectors: it organises evening lectures on historical or naturalistic themes, mounts historical-photographic exhibitions, keeps alive old local traditions, publishes material on specific subjects, and offers in-depth courses. The naturalistic side of its work is carried out by the C.R.O.S. — Centro Ricerche Ornitologiche Scanagatta. The association describes itself as a group of volunteers, regularly constituted by notarial deed, which pursues cultural aims without profit in full compliance with national and regional laws in force. Membership is open to anyone with naturalistic, geological, astronomical or environmental interests. Its programme of events is broad and locally rooted: recent and upcoming activities advertised on its website include a physics workshop, a talk and photographic journey about a solar eclipse observed from Lake Como to Spain, a guided visit to the Museo degli Strumenti per la Navigazione in Sanremo, a book presentation on the fossil reptile Lariosaurus balsami by Giancarlo Colombo, a conference on comets within the "aspettando la Giubiera" cycle, and a conference marking the bicentenary of the birth of Antonio Stoppani. The association also publishes memorial notices for its council members and maintains a membership and donation scheme, with bank details at BPER's Varenna branch. As a small local cultural body rather than a commercial enterprise, the association operates as a membership-based non-profit. It is not listed on any stock exchange and has no parent company. Its identity is closely tied to the town of Varenna, to the legacy of Luigi Scanagatta, and to the promotion of natural science, local history and photography on Lake Como.

The Associazione Culturale Luigi Scanagatta takes its name from Luigi Scanagatta, a naturalist and scholar born in Varenna on 11 March 1914. Scanagatta became an internationally recognised expert in the natural sciences and created the local ornithological and natural-science museum, together with the rich library it contains. He also became widely known in Italy for appearing on the television quiz show "Lascia o raddoppia" in 1956, an undertaking he reportedly took on solely to provide a substantial sum for the restoration fund of the prepositural church of S. Giorgio. He died on 14 May 1977. After Scanagatta's death, a group of friends and passionate naturalists actively took on the management of the museum on a voluntary basis. In 1994 the Associazione Culturale "Luigi Scanagatta" was founded, uniting the naturalistic dimension with a historical and photographic one. The association managed the museum until 1999, when the municipal administration, which owns the museum, closed it. From that point the association continued its work through various cultural sectors: it organises evening lectures on historical or naturalistic themes, mounts historical-photographic exhibitions, and keeps alive old local traditions. Over the years it has also taken on the task of producing publications on specific subjects and has offered in-depth courses. The naturalistic side of its activity is handled by the C.R.O.S. — Centro Ricerche Ornitologiche Scanagatta. The association presents itself as a group of volunteers, regularly constituted by notarial deed, which pursues cultural aims without profit in full compliance with national and regional laws in force. Membership is open to anyone with naturalistic, geological, astronomical or environmental interests. Its activities are advertised through its website and include a varied programme of conferences, guided visits, workshops and book presentations. Examples from its recent programme include a physics workshop at its headquarters in contrada dell'Arco, a talk and photographic journey titled "Cronache d'eclissi" about observing and photographing a solar eclipse from Lake Como to Spain, a guided visit to the Museo degli Strumenti per la Navigazione in Sanremo, a presentation of Giancarlo Colombo's book on the fossil reptile Lariosaurus balsami, a conference on comets in the "aspettando la Giubiera" cycle, and a conference on Antonio Stoppani held at the Hotel Royal Victoria in Varenna for the bicentenary of his birth. The association also publishes memorial notices for its council members, such as those for Gianpaolo Brembilla and Ferruccio Castelli, and maintains a membership and donation scheme with bank details at BPER's Varenna branch.

• 1999

  The museum managed by the association is closed by the municipal administration that owns it; the association continues its activities through other cultural sectors.

• 1994

  The Associazione Culturale "Luigi Scanagatta" is founded, combining naturalistic and historical-photographic interests.

• 1977

  Luigi Scanagatta dies on 14 May.

• 1956

  Luigi Scanagatta takes part in the television quiz show "Lascia o raddoppia" to raise funds for the restoration of the prepositural church of S. Giorgio.

• 1914

  Luigi Scanagatta is born in Varenna on 11 March.

A volunteer-run, non-profit cultural association dedicated to natural science, local history and photography in Varenna and the Lake Como area.

• Evening lectures and conferences

  Divulgative evenings on historical or naturalistic themes.

• Historical-photographic exhibitions

  Exhibitions mounted by the association.

• Publications

  Publications on specific subjects produced by the association.

• In-depth courses

  Courses offered by the association.

• C.R.O.S. — Centro Ricerche Ornitologiche Scanagatta

  The naturalistic research arm of the association.

1. 1Associazione Culturale "L.Scanagatta" -associazionescanagatta.it
2. 2Chi Siamo - Associazione Culturale "L.Scanagatta"associazionescanagatta.it
3. 3Richiesta Informazioni - Associazione Culturale "L.Scanagatta"associazionescanagatta.it
4. 4Donazioni e Pagamenti - Associazione Culturale "L.Scanagatta"associazionescanagatta.it
5. 5Associazione culturale Luigi Scanagattawikidata.org