Europe

Genoa maritime museum seeks possession of Columbus letter

Associated Press
Published | Updated

A reprinted copy of Christopher Columbus original letter written in 1493 about the discovery of the New World is displayed during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The United States has returned to Italy a letter written by Christopher Columbus in 1493 about his discovery of the New World that was stolen from a Florence library and unwittingly acquired by the Library of Congress. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis) (The Associated Press)

Italian Carabinieri officers remove a book, bottom, reproducing a reprinted copy of Christopher Columbus original letter written in 1493 about the discovery of the New World, and another book, top, reproducing a fake of the reprinted copy, at the end of a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The United States has returned to Italy a letter written by Christopher Columbus that was stolen from a Florence library, unwittingly acquired by the Library of Congress, and replaced with a forgery that no one noticed until a few years ago. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis) (The Associated Press)

A Carabinieri policeman stands, Wednesday, May 18, 2016, next to a book, bottom, reproducing a letter written by Christopher Columbus in 1493 about his discovery of the New World that had been replaced at Florence's Riccardiana library with a forgery, at top, that no one noticed until a few years ago, during a press conference in Rome. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis) (The Associated Press)

A state maritime museum in Christopher Columbus' birthplace of Genoa has asked Italy's culture minister to let it become the custodian of the recently recovered 1493 letter in which the explorer described his discoveries.

The director of the Galata Sea Museum told The Associated Press on Friday she wants to put the letter on display in a room dedicated to Columbus' achievements where it can be both well-preserved and shared with the public, not put away in an archive.

Maria Paola Profumo made her request Thursday in a letter to Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini.

Franceschini said at a ceremony announcing the letter's return to Italy this week that the document would be returned to the Riccardiana library in Florence, its home when it was replaced with a forgery.