Most of the collection consists of portraits of historical figures: the Sabaudian monarchs, the protagonists of the French Revolution, Napoleon's generals, patriots, leaders of the Sardinian Army, politicians, members of the clergy and intellectuals. The folders devoted to battles contain illustrations of war events since the seventeenth century and descriptions of places and battlegrounds. Special subsections focus on portraits of Napoleon I, Carlo Alberto, Vittorio Emanuele II, and Garibaldi. Several colour engravings record the history of the Piedmontese Army's uniforms. A subsection includes a remarkable collection of caricatures and humorous-satirical prints and drawings from the beginning of the nineteenth century through the early 1900's.

The collection of nineteenth- and twentieth-century photographs includes portraits and images of events, ceremonies, places, groups, battles, etc.

Rare plates depict episodes of the siege of Gaeta (1861) and a precious photo album contains 25 images of the famous Countess of Castiglione taken in Paris by Louis Pierson in 1857-59 under the beautiful Contessa's own guidance.