In the basement of Galleria Pizzinato is the museum’s vault: a climate-controlled archive protected by security systems, designed to preserve the most delicate works. It is organised into two rooms — one for consultation and one for storage — both maintained at a constant temperature (16°C / 61°F) and controlled humidity.
Here are kept original pages, objects and historical publications that tell the story of comics in all its forms. The collections of the International Museum of Comic Art are only partly displayed in the rooms of Villa Galvani: the overall holdings exceed 200 original pages and include over 1,500 magazines and objects, from acquisitions, donations and loans from around the world.
Among the most valuable pieces are a strip by Charles M. Schulz, two original pages by Will Eisner and a page by George McManus. Many of these treasures are kept here, in a space accessible on request, which ensures the conditions necessary for their preservation and encourages further donations from Italian and international collectors.
