Established on April 30, 1964 and established as a non-profit organization by the President of the Italian Republic with decree no. 694 of 30 April 1965, the Miniscalchi-Erizzo Museum Foundation was founded by the will of the last heir of the family, Count Mario. With no direct descendent, Mario Miniscalchi-Erizzo (1881-1957) with generosity and patronage arranged to leave the ancient fifteenth-century palace, the adjoining classical villa and the historical-artistic collections preserved in them to the nascent Foundation.
The dispositions in the will were linked to the life interest in favour of the count's consort, Anna Manca of the marquises of Villahermosa and Santa Croce (1890-1977). With the death of Countess Anna, the Foundation became legally operative and substantial restoration work began, motivated by the need to convert a house into a museum.
The studies on the collections left to the Foundation also proceeded at the same pace.
The Museum was inaugurated on March 30, 1990 and, since then, its collections have been enriched thanks to new donations and acquisitions.
Today the Foundation, in compliance with the mission and intentions promoted by Count Mario Miniscalchi-Erizzo, promotes the enhancement and dissemination of culture, opening its rooms to the public and proposing initiatives aimed at encouraging the growth of civil society.