Musée de Mariana - Prince Rainier III de Monaco
Archaeological museum in Lucciana, next to the Romanesque church A Canonica: collections from protohistory to the Middle Ages from the ancient site of Mariana.
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About the museum
Mariana is an ancient and medieval site on the eastern plain of Corsica, in the commune of Lucciana, where excavation campaigns have followed one another since the 1960s. They have produced a collection of some 10,000 objects or lots of objects, which the Town of Lucciana owns. The archaeological park, near the Romanesque church A Canonica, includes ancient and early Christian remains.
The idea of a museum matured over decades. A first feasibility study was commissioned in 2000 by the Town of Lucciana and the regional directorate for cultural affairs. In 2009, Prince Albert II of Monaco symbolically laid the first stone. The project received the “Musée de France” label in 2012, and the Pierre-Louis Faloci practice won the architectural competition. The museum opened in 2021.
The building, made of raw concrete and glass, rests on stilts and opens onto the landscape. It clearly separates the spaces for the public from those for research: a research centre, a laboratory and storerooms. The route runs over two levels and ends on a viewing terrace.
The name of Prince Rainier III of Monaco was added to the museum’s name after Lucciana and Monaco became twin towns, linked by the cult of Saint Devota. The collections cover protohistory, the Roman period, the early Christian period and the Middle Ages.
Highlights
- Collections from protohistory to the Middle Ages from the Mariana site
- Mosaic panels from the early Christian basilica
- Mithras sanctuary, the only one of its kind discovered so far in Corsica
- Building by Pierre-Louis Faloci with viewing terrace
- Archaeological park and Romanesque church A Canonica nearby
Permanent exhibition
- Parcours permanent du musée – A journey from the Marana plain to the Mediterranean basin, from the Bronze Age to the present day, with digital displays that illuminate the collections.
- Founded
- 2021
- Operated by
- Ville de Lucciana
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4Groups of 10 or more, children aged 8 to 18, students, job seekers and recipients of the RSA (French minimum income benefit), people with disabilities accompanied by a companion, people over 65. |
| Children & teens | €4free up to age 7 · Free for children under 8; reduced rate from 8 to 18. |
| Seniors | €4Reduced rate from age 65. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €4Reduced rate for the person with a disability, with a companion (the source does not specify whether the companion pays). |
| Students & apprentices | €4Reduced rate. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €4 per personReduced rate from 10 people. |
| Families | €20Family rate for 2 adults and 2 or more children. |
| One-hour guided tour (full price) | €9Reduced rate €6, free-admission rate €2, family rate €20 plus €2 per person. |
| Workshop, free visit included (full price) | €10Reduced rate €7, free-admission rate €3, family rate €20 plus €3 per workshop participant. |
| Guided tour and workshop (full price) | €12Reduced rate €9, free-admission rate €5, family rate €20 plus €2 per person and €3 per workshop participant. |
| Annual Pass Famille | €35Free admission all year for registered members; reduced rate for guided tours and workshops. |
| Access to the A Canonica church for tour guides with their clients (low season) | €2Per visitor. |
For independent visits, a group rate of €20 also appears in the price list. Free admission for children under 8, pupils from Lucciana on accompanied independent visits, teachers (Pass Éducation), journalists, tour guides, tourism professionals, staff of the Ministry of Culture and of Inrap, holders of the ICOM card and of the annual Pass Famille.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 7 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €20 · Family rate for 2 adults and 2 or more children. |
- Family tours & workshops
Playful workshops about the collections, museum professions and ancient board games welcome children, alone or accompanied. A family rate and an annual Pass Famille are available.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
Cars can park as close to the museum as possible; a car park reserved for coaches lies beyond the canal, with access to the museum via a metal footbridge. A parking map can be downloaded from the website. To visit the archaeological site, the museum advises walking there from the museum rather than parking near the church.
Travel times given by the museum from neighbouring towns: Bastia 20 minutes, Corte 45 minutes, Ajaccio 120 minutes, Porto-Vecchio 120 minutes.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
Several spaces (archaeological park, meeting and documentation rooms, temporary exhibition room, viewing terrace) may be made available under certain conditions for partnerships with professionals.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The permanent exhibition is designed for independent, self-guided visits, with digital displays. Guided tours of one hour take place in low season on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 15:00; in high season 2026 on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 15:30, with tours in English on request. Tickets are booked through the online ticketing system; the museum reserves the right to accept or decline visit requests depending on availability. |
