Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Parma
One of Italy's oldest archaeological museums, in the Palazzo della Pilotta: prehistoric, Etruscan and Roman finds, the Veleia materials and an Egyptian section.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum was founded in 1760, in the age of the Bourbon duchy of Parma, to house materials from the excavations of the Roman city of Veleia, promoted by Duke Philip of Bourbon. Among the best-known finds from those excavations is the bronze Alimentary Tablet (tabula alimentaria).
Over time the collections were enriched with other groups: the Egyptian collection, with the relief of the dignitary Amenemone from the age of Amenhotep III, Greek and Italic-Etruscan pottery, a large coin and medal cabinet, and marble statues from the Farnese and Gonzaga collections.
The museum occupies two floors of the Palazzo della Pilotta and is part of the Pilotta monumental complex. Since its reopening in 2023 the first-floor route follows a chronological order, from the Palaeolithic to the early Middle Ages, and covers prehistory, pre-Roman Italy and the Roman age.
Highlights
- Finds from the excavations of the Roman city of Veleia, with statues and the food tablet
- Egyptian section with the relief of the dignitary Amenemone
- Greek and Italic-Etruscan pottery
- Coin and medal cabinet with coins and medals
- Marble statuary from the Farnese and Gonzaga collections
- Chronological route from the Palaeolithic to the early Middle Ages
Permanent exhibition
- Percorso archeologico permanente – Over two floors the museum presents prehistory, pre-Roman and Roman Italy and ancient Egypt, with the Veleia materials, Greek and Italic-Etruscan vases, the coin cabinet and the marble statuary.
- Founded
- 1760
- Operated by
- Complesso monumentale della Pilotta (Ministero della Cultura)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €18 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2young people aged 18 to 24 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under 18s. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €14 per personAdult groups of 10 to 30 people; for the museum, groups are limited to 30 people. Booking required for schools and groups (cm-pil.scuole@cultura.gov.it). |
| Families | €16Parent with child: €16 per parent. |
| Entry from 17:00 | €10 |
| Visitors with a licensed guide from 18:00 | €5Since 5 July 2025, outdoor spaces from 18:00 until closing can be entered only with a licensed guide. |
| Combined ticket (Pilotta, Antica Spezieria di San Giovanni, Castello di Torrechiara, Area archeologica di Veleia) | €25 |
Free admission: Every first Sunday of the month (Museum Sunday) and on other free-admission days set by the Ministry of Culture; on free days tickets are collected at the ticket office and cannot be bought online.
A single ticket at €18 is valid for the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, the Galleria Nazionale, the Teatro Farnese, the Biblioteca Palatina and the Museo Bodoniano. Reduced or free tickets require a document proving entitlement. Free admission also for members of the Amici della Pilotta and for categories set by the Ministry of Culture.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- 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
Access to the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, the Galleria Nazionale, the Teatro Farnese and the Biblioteca Palatina is provided by ramps, lifts and stair lifts, with help from staff. For information: cm-pil.info@cultura.gov.it.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €16 · Parent with child: €16 per parent. |
No specific family offer is published; admission is free for under 18s and parents with a child have a reduced rate.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Urban buses with stops at the Palazzo della Pilotta: lines 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19 and 23 (timetables on tep.pr.it).
By car
Paid parking
Toschi car park, underground and paid, next to the palazzo.
From the Parma exit of the A1 motorway, follow the signs for the city centre. From the railway station the museum is about 10 minutes on foot, along Viale Toschi or Via Verdi. Coaches can stop to drop off passengers in Viale Toschi.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Lockers
Backpacks and large bags can be left free of charge in the lockers at the ticket office. Rest area with drink and snack machines at the Sala del Trionfo, behind the stage of the Teatro Farnese.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photographs and videos for personal use are allowed without flash, tripods or selfie sticks. |
| Good to know | Self-guided route. The complex does not run its own guided tours: these are booked through the Ufficio Turismo of the Comune di Parma (+39 0521 218889); schools and groups write to cm-pil.scuole@cultura.gov.it. Large bags and backpacks must be left at the ticket office. |
