A historical archive of Italian comics with a rich collection of thousands of volumes and strips, testament to the history of Italian and international comics.
The Xanadù Comics Museum is unique in Italy for the vast and diverse nature of its collection, which boasts approximately 100,000 items (including comics, strips, comic strips, and related materials), and is continually expanding.
Run by the Miccichè family, it was born from an interest in the “cultural roots” of comics as a reflection of “the way we were.”
The goal is to promote comics not only as entertainment, but as an educational and cultural tool, accessible to all ages and social classes.
Among the museum’s attractions are exhibitions of humorous comics, comic strips by famous cartoonists, and a room dedicated to classic and modern comics.
The collection is organized into five thematic rooms, which follow a chronological and thematic path from the early comics (late 19th century) to contemporary productions.
There is a period: Prewar, Postwar, 1960s and 1970s, and finally the Modern period
– Historical and rare comics: First issue of Tex in horizontal strip format (1948), Complete collection of L’Intrepido (from 1935 to 1998, over 3,200 issues), entire series of Il Monello (1953-1991, over 2,000 issues), with evolution from pure comics to music columns for teenagers.
– Specific Genres: Westerns and Adventure: Series such as Rodeo (1967-1980), Rocky Rider (1952), Zagor and Ringo.
– Science Fiction: Comic books featuring UFO (based on the Gerry Anderson TV series), Nathan Never, and X-Men (Marvel).
– Erotica and Adults: Misterlady (1975-1977).
– Humor and Disney: Stories of Goofy, Felix the Cat, Nancy, and Disney Princesses (past temporary exhibitions).
The museum serves as an archive for specialized research, with materials not available elsewhere, and includes spaces for conferences, meetings, and temporary exhibitions.
Interesting Facts
The name “Xanadù” is inspired by the famous romantic poem Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1797-1798), which evokes a pleasure palace and exotic gardens in an imaginary Chinese province, symbolizing a place of dreams and adventure – perfect for a temple of comics.
Xanadù Comics Museum
Contrada Marchese 221
Santa Croce Camarina (Ragusa)
Sicily – Italy
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