Museo Civico Giovanni Marongiu

About the museum

The Museo Civico Giovanni Marongiu in Cabras stands on the shores of the pond, in Via Tharros. It was built from the 1970s with funds from the Cassa per il Mezzogiorno and opened in 1997. It houses the archaeological heritage of the Sinis peninsula, the wide region that closes the Gulf of Oristano to the north, and is managed by the Cooperativa Penisola del Sinis together with other sites in the area.

The exhibition follows a chronological and topographical order. It starts with the large prehistoric site of Cuccuru is Arrius, on the shores of the pond, and with the Nuragic settlement of Sa Osa, occupied from the Copper Age to the Early Iron Age. One section is dedicated to Tharros, a city founded by the Phoenicians between the 8th and 7th centuries BC and inhabited until the Middle Ages; the last section houses the materials of the wreck of a Roman cargo ship of the 1st century BC, discovered in the sea off the island of Mal di Ventre, with its cargo of lead ingots.

The heart of the visit is the room with the sculptural ensemble of Mont'e Prama, the famous statues of the Giants, from a Nuragic necropolis investigated in the 1970s and a symbol of ancient Sardinia. The museum also offers a free guided tour of the rooms with the statues, and the ArcheoVoce app with text and audio content.

Highlights

• Statues of the Giants of Mont'e Prama
• Finds from Tharros, Phoenician, Punic and Roman city
• Prehistoric material from Cuccuru is Arrius and Nuragic material from Sa Osa
• Lead ingots from the Roman wreck of Mal di Ventre
• Guided tour of about 30 minutes included in the ticket

Permanent exhibitions

• Giganti di Mont'e Prama – Room with the sculptural ensemble of Mont'e Prama, from a Nuragic necropolis, with the statues of the Giants.
• Percorso archeologico del Sinis – Sections dedicated to Cuccuru is Arrius, Sa Osa, Tharros and the Roman wreck of Mal di Ventre.

Founded

1997

Operated by

Comune di Cabras; gestione Cooperativa Penisola del Sinis

Visitors per year

approx. 46,881

Admission & discounts

Free admission also for residents of Cabras and Solanas, European Union tourist guides, ICOM members, university teachers and researchers in archaeology and cultural heritage, students of archaeology-related courses, freelance archaeologists, and journalists and photographers for publication purposes. Tickets can be bought on site or online via the website of the Fondazione Mont'e Prama.

Accessibility

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

The site is listed as accessible; for specific needs it is advisable to contact the museum before the visit.

Kids & families

Getting there & parking

The museum is in Cabras on the shores of the pond, in Via Tharros. By car from Oristano take the SP 56 to Cabras and follow the signs for the museum or for San Giovanni di Sinis and Torregrande.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Toilets and bookshop. Eating and drinking are not permitted in the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit