Included in the programme of the Little Festival of Trust (full programme: https://www.turismo.pisa.it/eventi/Piccolo-Festival-della-Fiducia-2026), the exhibition will be open to visitors from 6 to 13 June at the Spazio Sopra le Logge of Palazzo Gambacorti, with continuous opening hours from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Free Guided Tour Schedule (Section continuously updated):
Sunday, 7 June – 6:00 p.m.
Monday, 8 June – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, 9 June – 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, 10 June – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 13 June – 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 12:00 noon.
The aim of the exhibition is to retrace the life and achievements of Amadeo Peter Giannini (1870–1949), an Italian-American pioneer born into a family of Italian immigrants who profoundly transformed the banking sector in the United States. Founder of the Bank of Italy, which later became Bank of America, Giannini’s commitment extended beyond the economic sphere to encompass a broader social mission rooted in close attention to reality and to people’s needs.
Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, he offered loans without requiring documentation or collateral, risking everything to help small business owners and families rebuild their lives. This inclusive and forward-looking approach, founded on mutual trust, revolutionized the banking system and contributed to the growth of an entire generation of entrepreneurs and creative individuals, supporting pioneering ventures and innovative projects.
For Giannini, every individual’s aspiration for personal fulfilment represented a benefit both for the individual and for society as a whole. It was therefore necessary to commit oneself and to take risks so that each person could be given the opportunity to develop and make use of their talents. This vision generated progress and prosperity for many.
The objective of the exhibition is to leave visitors with an inspiring message about the active role that every individual can play in the economy and in society, while encouraging reflection on questions that are often taken for granted or considered of little importance.
The exhibition follows a biographical itinerary divided into three sections, consisting of panels featuring texts and images.
The first section explores the key events of Amadeo Peter Giannini’s childhood and early life up to the age of thirty, retracing the most significant experiences that shaped his character, outlook, and priorities.
The second section examines “what he built,” focusing on the foundation and development of the Bank of Italy, later transformed into Bank of America. It retraces the pivotal events and visionary decisions that enabled the institution to become the largest financial organization in the world. Particular attention is devoted to the essential contribution Giannini made through the Bank of Italy to the reconstruction and recovery of San Francisco following the devastating San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
The final section revisits and further explores the guiding principles that inspired Giannini throughout his life’s work.
The themes addressed include trust in the individual beyond numerical measures and financial indicators, commitment to the development of society as a driving force behind the growth of the bank, and Giannini’s unwavering desire to serve people throughout his entire life, up to his final moments.
https://www.piccolofestivaldellafiducia.it/sostieni-il-festival
