Museo archeologico Paolo Giovio
Civic archaeological museum of Como in Palazzo Giovio, from prehistory to the Roman period, with a section on Egyptian and Greek collecting; currently closed for building work.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museo Archeologico Paolo Giovio has been housed for over a century in Palazzo Giovio, once the city residence of the Giovio counts. Its origins date to the mid-19th century, when the first seat was at the Liceo Classico; in 1894 the continuous growth of the collections led the municipality to move the civic museum and the notarial archive to the present building.
The building, of late medieval origin, was altered in the 16th century by Benedetto Giovio and took on its present appearance in the 18th century, in the style of the Lombard barocchetto. The frescoes of the piano nobile, such as those in the Sala Perrone, Sala Barelli, Sala Giovio and Sala delle Nozze, reflect 18th-century taste.
The route traces the earliest history of the Como area. The prehistoric and protohistoric section documents finds from the Palaeolithic to the Iron Age, such as the pile-dwelling station of Lagozza di Besnate and the weapons of Ello-Oggiono. The Roman section presents finds from Como, including the portrait of Augustus, a frieze with a parade of horsemen and a base dedicated to Pliny the Younger, together with a simulated excavation 4 metres deep. The section on 19th-century collecting, based largely on the bequest of the collector Alfonso Garovaglio, preserves around a thousand Egyptian objects, including the cartonnage sarcophagus with the mummy of the priestess Isiuret, as well as Greek and Magna Graecia vases, bronzes, gems and coins.
Highlights
- Cartonnage sarcophagus with the mummy of the priestess Isiuret
- Portrait of Augustus and Roman frieze with a parade of horsemen
- Simulated 4-metre excavation showing the archaeological layers of Como
- Finds from the pile-dwelling station of Lagozza di Besnate
- 18th-century palace with frescoed rooms
Permanent exhibitions
- Sezione preistorica e protostorica – Finds from the Como area, from the Palaeolithic to the Iron Age.
- Sezione romana e lapidario – Roman finds from Como and a simulated excavation showing the succession of archaeological layers.
- Sezione del collezionismo – Egyptian finds, Greek and Magna Graecia vases, bronzes, gems and coins from the 19th-century collections.
- Operated by
- Musei Civici di Como
Admission & discounts
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Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Good to know | During the closure it is possible to request consultation of the archaeological finds. The palazzo is connected by two passageways to the Museo storico Giuseppe Garibaldi (Palazzo Olginati), which is also closed for maintenance. |
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