Of immense Historical and Cultural value, with vast spaces filled with curiosities, History, Culture, Art, Traditions, Customs, and Collections of many different Cultures from around the World.
The MuCiv – Museum of Civilizations, an enormous museum complex in the EUR district, is not a single museum, but a museum hub that brings together collections of extraordinary importance, previously held in different locations, in a single container with different exhibition sections.
The museum’s central idea is to tell the story of humanity, from the earliest civilizations to the modern era, with a particular focus on Rome, Italy, and non-European cultures.
The Museums that make up the Center
– Luigi Pigorini Prehistoric and Ethnographic Museum
Dedicated to Italian prehistory and protohistory and the cultures of non-European peoples (Africa, the Americas, Oceania, Asia).
– Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions
Documents Italian daily life, traditions, and craftsmanship between the 18th and 20th centuries.
– Alessandra Vaccaro Museum of the Early Middle Ages
It houses artifacts from the early Middle Ages (4th-14th centuries), including its absolute masterpiece: the opus sectile decoration from the Porta Marina in Ostia.
– Giuseppe Tucci Museum of the East
It displays archaeological finds and art from Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and the Himalayas.
The Museum of Civilizations has Two adjacent and connected locations:
– Palazzo delle Scienze
Prehistoric, Paleontological and Litho-mineralogical Collections (ISPRA), African, American, Asian, Oceanian, Early Medieval, and Contemporary Art
Palace of Popular Arts and Traditions
Italian Popular Arts and Traditions, Contemporary Art Collections
A single Ticket is valid for all the Museums in the complex. It takes about 2-3 hours to explore the main sections.
A rich and varied collection
At the Palazzo delle Scienze:
– Prehistoric and Protohistoric Section
A journey through time, with artifacts that reveal the origins of humanity in Italy, perfect for those fascinated by prehistory.
– Extra-European Ethnographic Collections
The incredible cultural diversity through objects of extraordinary beauty and significance.
African masks and ritual objects, Pre-Columbian art: artifacts from Mesoamerican (Mayan, Aztec) and South American (Inca) civilizations, and Asian art (Buddhist sculptures, Tibetan ritual objects, and Chinese ceramics).
– Palace of Popular Arts and Traditions
Italian Ethnography with Objects that Tell Stories of Communities, Festivals, and Local Traditions
Collections and Masterpieces Not to Miss
The Ancient Elephant’s Tusk
In the Pigorini Museum, an impressive find that marks the first human presence in Lazio.
The Opus Sectile Decoration (Museum of the Early Middle Ages)
A wall panel from the 4th century AD with colorful and figurative marble inlays, unique in its state of preservation.
The Model of Imperial Rome (in the Palazzo Museo)
A 1:250 scale model of Rome during the reign of Constantine (4th century AD), created by archaeologist Italo Gismondi. It is simply spectacular and helps visualize the grandeur of the ancient city.
The Ethnographic Collections (Pigorini Museum)
Tribal masks, ritual objects, and artifacts from indigenous cultures of the Americas, Africa, and Oceania.
Reconstruction of Traditional Italian Environments (Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions)
Houses, artisan workshops, and interiors reconstructed with original objects.
The Collection of Italian Nativity Scene Figures, one of the richest in Europe, with unique pieces from various regions, particularly significant for the cultural tradition of the nativity scene.
Mosaics and Decorative Floors from archaeological sites, including Futurist works by Fortunato Depero and decorations by Enrico Prampolini.
Paleontological and Prehistoric finds, such as skeletons and fossils of prehistoric animals that tell the story of the earth and human evolution.
Original architectural elements, such as polychrome bas-reliefs by Amerigo Tot and a large artistic stained glass window, embellish the exhibition spaces of the historic buildings.
The Palace of Science and the Palace of Popular Arts and Traditions, designed for the 1942 Universal Exposition, feature frescoes by Valerio Fraschetti, stained-glass windows by Giulio Rosso, and mosaics by Fortunato Depero and Enrico Prampolini. These architectural elements are works of art in their own right.
Immersive Space “Museum of Opacity”
An interactive room that uses modern technologies to tell stories through objects, sounds, and projections, making for an immersive experience.
MUCIV – Museum of Civilizations
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi
Rome EUR
Lazio – Italy
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