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Description
Imagine sitting down with someone who didn’t just know the story of Frank Pepe’s but lived it! New Haven Museum (NHM) will host a special evening with Francis Rosselli, grandson of Frank and Filomena Pepe, for a rare, personal take on one of the greatest stories of American pizza history on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. Free with regular museum admission. The program is the latest in the museum’s “Monthly Slice” series at NHM, presented in conjunction with the exhibition, “Pronounced Ah-Beetz.”
Rosselli was immersed in the colorful, fascinating world of his grandparents’ pizzeria from an early age, learning the craft of pizza making directly from Frank Pepe himself. In 1981, Frank and Filomena’s daughters, Elizabeth and Serafina, gave Rosselli the opportunity to open a pizzeria next door, The Spot, a name that carries a remarkable piece of Pepe history. Bechard notes it was in the original location and oven where Frank and Filomena Pepe began their legendary journey in 1925.
The conversation will be moderated by Gorman Bechard, co-curator of “Pronounced Ah-Beetz” and director of the documentary, “Pizza A Love Story.” “Expect great stories, family memories, plenty of laughs, and perhaps even a few moments that tug at the heartstrings,” Bechard says. The pair will explore plenty of pizza lore, behind-the-scenes memories, and the “kinds of details you can’t get from a plaque on a wall.”
Bechard says they’ll also unveil never-before-seen artifacts from the Pepe family legacy that didn’t make it into the New Haven Museum’s “Pronounced Ah-Beetz” exhibit. “Come for the history. Stay for the stories. We promise you’ll leave wanting one of those famous pies!”
The “Pronounced Ah-Beetz” exhibition at NHM includes first-hand oral histories and pizza-related artifacts from personal collections, video footage adapted from the documentary and photographs. The exhibition’s title comes from the way many people mispronounce the word apizza, which originally grew out of the Italian la pizza. The exhibition will remain on view through October 2027.
About the New Haven Museum
The New Haven Museum has been collecting, preserving and interpreting the history and heritage of Greater New Haven since its inception as the New Haven Colony Historical Society in 1862. Located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue, the Museum brings more than 375 years of New Haven history to life through its collections, exhibitions, programs and outreach. As a Blue Star Museum, the New Haven Museum offers the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, free admission all year. For more information visit http://newhavenmuseum.org or @NewHavenMuseum or call 203-562-4183.
Date & Time
Thu, Oct 1, 2026 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Venue Details
New Haven Museum
114 Whitney AvenueNew Haven, Connecticut 06510
