Bronte Nativity Scenes — Christmas Exhibition

A unique collection of nativity scenes in Sicily

In the heart of Bronte, a town on the western slopes of Mount Etna in the province of Catania, the Casa della Fraternità houses one of the richest and most fascinating nativity collections in Italy. Every year during the Christmas season, the Fondazione Fraternità dei Popoli opens its exhibition of over 500 artistic nativity scenes from all over the world to the public, set up in the premises on Via Cardinale De Luca.

Nativity scenes from every corner of the planet

The collection is the result of decades of travel and donations, telling the story of Christmas through vastly different languages, materials, and traditions. Alongside the grand Neapolitan nativity scenes, the Apulian papier-mâché works, and the ceramics from Caltagirone, Santo Stefano di Camastra, and Sciacca, visitors will encounter pieces arriving from:

• Europe: Spain, France, Germany, Russia, Greece, and the Netherlands;
• The Middle East, with nativity scenes from the Holy Land and Bethlehem;
• Latin America and the United States;
• Asia and Oceania: China, Japan, India, and Australia;
• numerous African nations.

Each nativity scene is a small window into a culture: the materials, colors, and faces of the characters change, but the universal message of peace and birth that the tradition carries remains the same.

An exhibition with a charitable mission

The exhibition began in 2002, when the donation of about twenty artistic nativity scenes gave life to an association that later merged into the Fondazione Fraternità dei Popoli. The Foundation pursues cultural goals of promoting art and caring for young people and families: the proceeds from visits support the organization's charitable projects, making a visit to the exhibition a small act of support.

A Christmas tradition in Bronte

Open from the beginning of Advent until Epiphany, the Bronte Nativity Scenes exhibition is now a highly anticipated event in the Christmas calendar of the Etna town and Sicily, attracting visitors, school groups, and parish groups from across the province of Catania and beyond. Guided tours for schools and groups are available by reservation, even on days outside regular opening hours. Dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been announced.