On 9 February 1911 with a law of Parliament (published in the Official Gazette of the Kingdom of Italy on 25 February 1911) the Royal Domenico Ridola Museum was established in Matera. The law approved the free transfer to the State, by the illustrious doctor, archaeologist and senator Domenico Ridola (1841-1932), of his archaeological collection, first housed in the Royal High School “E. Duni” and subsequently transferred to the former convent of Santa Chiara, granted in perpetuity by the Municipality of Matera to the State.

To celebrate this anniversary, the National Museum of Matera presents the exhibition "The gifts of Ridola", which can be visited from 9 February to 9 March 2023 in the "Domenico Ridola" Archaeological Museum, with a selection of documents related to the founder of the museum institute, as well as artifacts found during the research and excavation campaigns he conducted. Among the exhibited materials are the appointments to senator of the Kingdom and honorary inspector for monuments as well as the announcement by the Senate of the Kingdom of his death, some publications with his signature both of a medical and archaeological nature, with related finds, the numismatic collection kept together to the messages left by those who found the coins and gave them to him as a gift.

The itinerary aims to tell the multifaceted figure of Domenico Ridola, a man with broad horizons and great generosity, pioneer of prehistoric studies in southern Italy, author of the first and important archaeological discoveries in the Matera area, at whose service he spent his entire existence.

On 9 February it will be possible to take part in guided tours of the route at 10:00, 12:00, 17:00 and 18:00.