Museo archeologico nazionale Vito Capialbi
National museum in the Norman-Swabian Castle of Vibo Valentia, with grave goods from necropolises and sanctuaries of Magna Graecia, the Capialbi collection and Roman sculptures.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum was founded in 1969 and bears the name of Vito Capialbi, a 19th-century antiquarian from Vibo Valentia whose private collection forms one of the core parts of the holdings. Its establishment arose from an agreement between the then Soprintendenza, the municipality and the local Lions Club.
It is housed in the Norman-Swabian Castle of Vibo Valentia, a medieval building whose construction began in the 13th century under Frederick II and which offers wide views over the Tyrrhenian Sea and the surrounding area. Today the museum is part of the Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Calabria (Regional Directorate of National Museums of Calabria) of the Ministero della Cultura (Italian Ministry of Culture).
The route, spread over several floors, illustrates the past of the area: on the upper floor is the Capialbi collection, with ceramics and an important group of coins; on the first floor are the votive offerings from the Greek sanctuaries, in particular that of Scrimbia, with rare bronze weapons and painted ceramics; on the lower floor is the Greek necropolis, where tomb 19 (early 4th century BC) yielded a gold leaf with an Orphic inscription. The section on the Roman city includes statues, among them a portrait of Marco Vipsanio Agrippa and a female bust in basanite of the Julio-Claudian period.
Highlights
- Gold leaf with Orphic inscription from tomb 19 of the Greek necropolis
- Votive offerings from the Scrimbia sanctuary, with bronze weapons and painted ceramics
- Capialbi collection of ceramics and coins
- Portrait of Marco Vipsanio Agrippa and female bust in basanite of the Julio-Claudian period
- Housed in the Norman-Swabian Castle, with views over the Tyrrhenian Sea
- Founded
- 1969
- Operated by
- Ministero della Cultura – Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Calabria
- Visitors per year
- approx. 24,063
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2 |
The official listing does not specify the conditions for the reduced rate.
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: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The official listing mentions an assistance service for people with disabilities, without further details.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
Bookshop (libreria) inside the museum.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The official listing mentions guided tours, a signposted route with captions, a library, a photo archive and a restoration workshop. Booking is not required for individual visits. |
