by InTrieste
The exhibition “Rovenska – Elettra: Memories of Marconi’s Yacht” is now open at Magazzino 26 in Trieste’s Porto Vecchio, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi’s birth. The exhibition showcases the history of Marconi’s yacht, originally named Rovenska and later renamed Elettra after it was purchased by the inventor in 1919. It highlights the yacht’s transformation into a floating laboratory for scientific experiments, most notably in the field of shortwave radio transmission.
The Elettra became famous worldwide after Marconi used it for groundbreaking experiments, including the 1930 transmission of a public lighting signal from Genoa to Sydney. Following Marconi’s death in 1937, the yacht was taken over by the Italian government and eventually sank in 1944. In the 1960s, efforts began to recover the wreck, and portions of the yacht are now preserved in museums across Italy.
The exhibit includes photographs, artifacts from the yacht, and a collection of materials related to Marconi’s legacy in maritime and communications technology. Institutions like the National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan and the Leonardo Foundation have contributed items to the display.
The exhibition, which runs until February 16, 2025, is free to the public and is part of a broader national celebration of Marconi’s contributions to science and communication. It is sponsored by the Friuli Venezia Giulia region and supported by various Italian museums and research institutions.
