Su Nuraxi di Barumini

About the museum

Su Nuraxi is the best-preserved nuragic complex in Sardinia and a symbol of the Nuragic civilisation. The site was uncovered in the 1950s by the archaeologist Giovanni Lilliu and tells more than two thousand years of history, from the Middle Bronze Age to the Roman and early medieval periods. Since 1997 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The heart of the nuraghe is the central tower, almost 19 metres high, around which lie smaller towers, courtyards and massive defensive walls of basalt. A large village of huts stretches around it, some of which had ritual and communal functions, documenting the social and economic complexity of the Nuragic communities. The tholos construction technique makes the interior spaces particularly striking.

The management of Barumini’s cultural heritage is entrusted by the Comune to the Fondazione Barumini Sistema Cultura, founded in December 2006. In addition to the archaeological area, it includes the Polo museale Casa Zapata, a 16th-century noble palace of the Aragonese Zapata family that conceals beneath its floor a second, complex nuraghe discovered in the 1990s, and the Centro Giovanni Lilliu, dedicated to the archaeologist and to the excavation of Su Nuraxi. A single ticket gives access to all three sites.

Highlights

• Central tower of the nuraghe, almost 19 metres high
• Nuragic village of huts around the complex
• Casa Zapata: 16th-century palace with the Su Nuraxi ’e Cresia nuraghe visible from walkways and glass floors
• Regional museum of the launeddas and archaeological, historical-archival and ethnographic sections
• Centro Giovanni Lilliu with permanent exhibitions on the excavations
• UNESCO site since 1997

Permanent exhibitions

• Area archeologica Su Nuraxi – Guided visit to the complex nuraghe with the central tower and the village of huts, excavated in the 1950s by Giovanni Lilliu.
• Polo museale Casa Zapata – 16th-century noble palace with archaeological, historical-archival and ethnographic sections, the regional museum of the launeddas, and the Su Nuraxi ’e Cresia nuraghe beneath the floor.
• Centro Giovanni Lilliu – Permanent exhibitions with photographic documentation of the excavations, large-scale prints and a scale reconstruction of the nuraghe.

Operated by

Fondazione Barumini Sistema Cultura (per conto del Comune di Barumini)

Admission & discounts

The single ticket costing €16 covers Su Nuraxi, the Polo museale Casa Zapata and the Centro Giovanni Lilliu, with a guided visit included. Free admission also for accompanying teachers of school classes (1 per 15 students) and for employees of the Ministero della Cultura (formerly MIBAC). Prices follow the 2026 tariff.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Polo museale Casa Zapata is also accessible to people with disabilities or reduced mobility, via a covered route. Animals are not admitted to the sites, except guide dogs, whose visit is possible only by booking.

Kids & families

The Foundation runs educational workshops and guided routes for schools of all levels. Free admission up to age 6.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Centro Giovanni Lilliu has a café and a bookshop.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The Centro Giovanni Lilliu has a conference room and a large courtyard for outdoor events.

Plan your visit