Madonna del Ghisallo Museum to close.

The Madonna del Ghisallo Musuem is closing it's doors, at least for the next five months. While the museum usually takes on a lighter schedule during the winter months, it will close completely this winter due to a lack of funds. It is set provisionally to reopen on March 31st but that is dependent on funding. A cut in local financial support as well as a decrease in private donations has seen the museum come upon hard times, accumulating an annual deficit of around €80,000.
There are plans for a meeting later this month to come up with a solution to this problem, with regional government hoping to work with CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee) to allow the museum to reopen in the spring. Ernesto Colnago even expressed interest in helping to save the museum, with the idea of starting a Ghisallo line of bikes to help cover the deficit. Fund raising events throughout the year may also cover the gap between the €12,000 in annual ticket revenue and the €100,000 cost of running the museum.
A Gran Fondo ending with the iconic Modonna del Ghisallo climb up to the museum could be a great way to raise some funds. After spending a week there myself earlier this year and visiting the museum, I know that 1) the roads are absolutely amazing in that part of Lombardia and 2) the museum is a treasure that should be seen by every cycling enthusiast. It must stay open!