The journey across Italy, from north to south, to discover the best museum bookstores in the country continued this year. In fact, the third edition of the award that selects and enhances the most deserving museum bookstores, awarding the title of Museum Bookstore of the Year in the context of the RO.ME – Museum Exhibition, has come to an end. An award that has continued to grow in attention and authority, based on criteria that assess the quality of the book assortment, merchandising and architectural design.

The evaluation of book offerings focused on the ability of the outlets to offer complete assortments consistent with the museum collections and the historical, artistic and monumental heritage of the reference territories. For merchandising, the focus was on the originality of the products, the quality of the materials and the enhancement of local craftsmanship; an important role was also given to official merchandising using the museum logo.

A central element was also found to be the architectural design, often carried out in historic or listed spaces that require solutions capable of optimizing environments and ensuring a functional and welcoming experience for the public.

Based on these criteria, the Jury awarded the title of Italian Museum Libreria 2025 to the libraries of the Castello di Miramare in Trieste, the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, MAXXI, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Sferisterio in Macerata, and the Flying Castle in Corigliano d’Otranto. A selection that ideally retraced a contemporary Grand Tour among some of the best Italian museums.

Arena Sferisterio Macerata – Clock Culture Network

A bookstore where the lover of music in general and classical opera in classical will not be disappointed given and considering the quality of the offer on these topics with publications also aimed at younger age groups in order to bring them closer to knowing and loving music. There is, of course, no shortage of CDs, and the production of dedicated merchandise with the Sferisterio logo is also highly articulated. While waiting to purchase an admission ticket, the temptation to buy a product on sale in the bookstore is certainly strong.

Miramare Castle – Culture Cooperative Society – CoopCulture

The austere rooms of the Castle house the bookstore on the ground floor, which presents itself to the public of visitors with an offer of editorial productions dedicated to telling the site and its history but also the city of Trieste and the entire regional territory. Noteworthy and original turns out to be the merchandising production with a rich offer of paper products but also in fabric and not only and, of note, a series of cases made paying great attention to the theme of environmental sustainability of the product.

Flying Castle of Corigliano d’Otranto – Flying Castle Enterprise Network

A bookstore that conveys the flavor of Puglia in all its best elements. The cultural ones first and foremost through an offering of books that tell and illustrate the surrounding area and beyond; those of local crafts through a series of ceramic, fabric and paper goods; and the gastronomic flavors through a series of local productions. A full Apulian immersion complemented by a series of merchandising products featuring the silhouette of the Castle.

Mausoleum of Augustus Infopoint Bookstore – Piazza Augustus Emperor, Rome

A bookstore opened in May 2025 within a space in the newly designed Augustus Emperor Square. A modern design, very bright inside to accommodate a careful selection of volumes on archaeology and guidebooks on Rome as well as publications for children and a merchandising offer aimed at highlighting in particular productions of small artisanal companies in a space that will also include a cafeteria inside.

MAXXI – National Museum of XXI Century Arts – Opera Laboratories

A bookstore that presents visitors with a very diverse range of publications from architecture, photography, 20th-century art to the historical/artistic heritage of the city of Rome. A large section is dedicated to the younger public and a large space is for merchandising, ranging from jewelry to ceramic products to paper goods to eyewear.

Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology – Milan

A bookstore that is characterized by a rich and varied offer both in the book part and in merchandising, both the generalist one and the one dedicated to what is on display in the Museum, for example with products dedicated to the submarine Enrico Toti new icon of the Museum. A visitor-friendly décor, even to younger visitors, to whom a sensitive share of the products on sale is dedicated.