Ipogeo dei Volumni e necropoli del Palazzone
Underground Etruscan family tomb of the Velimna family and a necropolis with around 200 chamber tombs at Ponte San Giovanni; currently closed for works.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Ipogeo dei Volumni is an underground family tomb, reached by a steep staircase, whose plan reproduces that of a Roman house. The family name, Velimna in Etruscan and Volumni in Latin, appears on the urns and on the entrance jamb, where an Etruscan inscription recalls the brothers who had the tomb built. Its date is debated: the second half of the 2nd century BC has been proposed, but recent finds have also suggested the 3rd century BC.
The tomb has several chambers. The ceiling of the central hall imitates a wooden pitched roof, and other ceilings have coffers with Medusa heads. Among the urns are that of Arunte, which shows the deceased lying on a draped bed, and that of Arnth Velimnas Aules, with a painted door to the underworld flanked by two Lares; the tablinum holds seven inscribed urns, six Etruscan and one Roman, in marble.
Around it extends the Palazzone necropolis, with almost 200 chamber tombs with a small dromos, mostly from the Hellenistic period and a few archaic ones, excavated in the 19th century and again from 1963. The route is accompanied by information panels, while the antiquarium has been rearranged with sections on daily life.
Highlights
- Underground tomb with the plan of a Roman house
- Urn of Arunte and urn of Arnth Velimnas Aules
- Etruscan inscription on the entrance jamb
- Necropolis with almost 200 chamber tombs
- Antiquarium and video guides in Italian Sign Language (LIS)
Permanent exhibition
- Ipogeo dei Volumni e necropoli del Palazzone – Underground tomb of the Velimna family with inscribed urns, chamber necropolis and antiquarium with thematic sections on daily life.
- Operated by
- Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Umbria
- Director
- Maria Angela Turchetti
- Visitors per year
- approx. 10,157
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free for EU citizens under 18. |
Tickets can only be bought online; cash is not accepted, only credit and debit cards and digital payments. Other free admissions follow the national rules for cultural sites. Prices refer to the opening period.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The ipogeo is reached by a steep staircase. The ongoing works also aim to improve accessibility. Video guides in Italian Sign Language (LIS) and a virtual tour are available.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
The guide with a children’s game, “L’Ipogeo dei Volumni. Guida Kids”, is available free of charge on the website.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The necropolis is visited along routes accompanied by information panels. The guide and the children’s game “L’Ipogeo dei Volumni. Guida Kids” can be downloaded from the museum website. |
