Vesuvian Naturalists Festival
Science, art, and landscape at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, in Boscoreale
About Vesuvian Naturalists
A festival exploring the Vesuvian landscape
The Vesuvian Naturalists Festival is a cultural event that combines science, art, music, theater, and gastronomy to narrate the evolution of the human and natural landscape surrounding Mount Vesuvius. It takes place in Boscoreale, in the province of Naples, in the heart of Campania, and is promoted by the Municipality of Boscoreale together with the Institute for the Diffusion of Natural Sciences (IDSN).
The origins: the Schola Naturalis project
The festival was born in 2025 as the living heart of the Schola Naturalis project, conceived by Mayor Pasquale Di Lauro and designed by IDSN President Claudio Rodolfo Salerno. The goal is to strengthen the community's sense of belonging through knowledge of the territory, transforming landscape conservation from an abstract value into active participation. Science, art, and humanistic narrative engage in a dialogue to return the richness of the Vesuvian environmental and natural heritage to its citizens.
A multidisciplinary approach
Each edition stages a blend of languages: immersive exhibitions and installations, staged readings, lecture-performances, theater, dance, and live music. The multisensory experiences combine visual projections, sound compositions, evocative aromas, and tastings of local wines, reconstructing atmospheres that range from the ancient symposium to contemporary philosophical reflection.
The «Flight and Reason» exhibition
The second edition in 2026 is built around the exhibition «Flight and Reason», dedicated to the relationship between faith and reason in the thought of Thomas Aquinas, hosted in the Immacolata Concezione Parish. It is a journey that connects the spirituality of the site, the history of the Vesuvian landscape, and contemporary sensitivity through sound installations, photographic panels, and sculptures.
Boscoreale and the Vesuvian territory
Boscoreale, famous for its winemaking tradition and the archaeological heritage of the Vesuvius area, thus positions itself as a cultural and spiritual laboratory. The festival enhances local identity and invites residents and visitors to rediscover the profound bond between man and nature at the foot of Italy's most famous volcano.
Vesuvian Naturalists — edition 2026
The 2026 second edition
The second edition of the Vesuvian Naturalists Festival was inaugurated on June 26, 2026, in Boscoreale. At the center of the program is the «Flight and Reason» exhibition, set up in the Immacolata Concezione Parish and open to the public until July 31, 2026. The festival continues the path started by the Schola Naturalis project, promoted by the Municipality of Boscoreale and the IDSN.
The theme: faith and reason
The edition explores the relationship between faith and reason starting from the thought of Thomas Aquinas, weaving together philosophical reflection, visual art, and music. A dialogue between the spirituality of the place, the history of the Vesuvian landscape, and contemporary languages.
Programme Vesuvian Naturalists 2026
The «Flight and Reason» exhibition
The exhibition path set up in the Immacolata Concezione Parish, inaugurated on June 26, 2026, and open until July 31, is divided into several installations conceived by the IDSN, curated by Claudio Rodolfo Salerno and Luigi Buffone, with theological consulting by Father Alessandro Valentino:
- The Two Wings – Fides et Ratio: a visual representation of the complementarity between faith and reason;
- Fragments of the Visible: five large black-and-white transparent panels featuring iconic locations of the Vesuvian territory;
- Confessio Sensuum: an immersive sound installation staging an imaginary dialogue between Thomas Aquinas and a contemporary penitent;
- Vox Aquinatis: a musical composition blending Gregorian chant, liturgical sounds, classical repertoire, and contemporary languages;
- The Wings of Reason – The Five Ways: five sculptural lecterns with art books dedicated to the famous «five ways» of Aquinas.
Alongside the exhibition, the festival offers moments of music, classical ballet, screenings, theater, art exhibitions, and tastings of wines and traditional cuisine from the Vesuvian territory.
Highlights Vesuvian Naturalists 2026
- Inauguration on June 26, 2026, and exhibition open until July 31
- «Flight and Reason» exhibition on the dialogue between faith and reason
- Immersive sound installation «Confessio Sensuum»
- «Vox Aquinatis» composition blending Gregorian chant and contemporary sounds
- Music, ballet, theater, art, and Vesuvian gastronomy
Prices Vesuvian Naturalists 2026
Practical information — Vesuvian Naturalists
How to get there
Boscoreale is located in the province of Naples, a few kilometers from Pompeii. By car, it can be reached via the A3 Naples-Salerno motorway (Pompei or Torre Annunziata Sud exit). By train, it is served by the Circumvesuviana line (Naples-Poggiomarino line, Boscoreale stop) and the nearby stations of Pompeii and Torre Annunziata.
Location
The initiatives mainly take place at the Boscoreale Town Hall (Piazza Pace) and the Immacolata Concezione Parish.
Tips
For dates, times, and access methods for the events, it is recommended to check with the Municipality of Boscoreale, which coordinates the festival calendar together with the IDSN.
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Where does it take place — Vesuvian Naturalists
Municipio di Boscoreale e Parrocchia Immacolata Concezione
Piazza Pace 1, 80041 Boscoreale