Museo civico archeologico "Girolamo Rossi"
Archaeological museum in the Forte dell’Annunziata, with inscriptions, busts, pottery and glass from Albintimilium and a section on rock art.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The civic museum was founded in 1938 and is named after Girolamo Rossi, the discoverer of the Roman city of Albintimilium. Since 1989 it has been housed on the raised ground floor of the Forte dell’Annunziata, a fortress built by the House of Savoy between 1831 and 1836 on the site where the Franciscan Observant convent had stood since 1503.
The fort served as a redoubt for the overlooking Forte San Paolo, of Genoese origin; the young engineer officer Camillo Benso di Cavour took part in the preparatory works. After 1883 it became a barracks; in 1931 an upper floor was built for the bersaglieri. The complex is owned by the Liguria Region and loaned to the Comune di Ventimiglia.
The rooms display over 700 finds from the 19th-century excavations of Albintimilium, in particular from the western necropolis and the theatre, including one of the largest lapidaria in Liguria, busts and reliefs from the collection of Thomas Hanbury, pottery and glass of the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, and a 3rd-century cup with an ichthyocentaur. A more recent route beneath the terrace illustrates the history of the fort and presents casts of rock engravings from the Valle delle Meraviglie made by Carlo Conti.
Highlights
- Roman lapidarium of Albintimilium
- Busts and reliefs from the Hanbury collection
- 3rd-century AD cup with an ichthyocentaur
- Casts of rock engravings from the Valle delle Meraviglie
- Panoramic terrace of the Forte dell’Annunziata
Permanent exhibitions
- Sezione archeologica romana – Over 700 finds from Albintimilium: lapidarium, busts and reliefs from the Hanbury collection, Roman pottery and glass.
- Sezione storica e preistorica – A route beneath the terrace devoted to the history of the fort and the Valle delle Meraviglie, with casts of rock engravings.
- Founded
- 1938
- Operated by
- Comune di Ventimiglia, con l’Istituto Internazionale di Studi Liguri – Sezione Intemelia
- Visitors per year
- approx. 11,849
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4.50Groups |
| Groups | €4.50 per personReduced ticket for groups |
| Schools | €3 |
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
A lift removes architectural barriers and allows access for persons with disabilities. Educational displays in English, French and German.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Playful educational workshops, such as “Archaeologists for a day”, with a simulated dig, and “Build your own mosaic”, designed for schools.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
Bookshop with the museum's publications; 100-seat exhibition and conference room, small projection room, and large outdoor areas for events and rest.
Events & venue rental
Up to 100 guests.
100-seat exhibition and conference room.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours for groups and parties, introduced by a film screening. Educational workshops inspired by the Roman and early medieval periods for schools of all levels. The museum also runs the information points “Via Iulia Augusta” and “Memoria delle Alpi”. |
