Museo civico archeologico Lavinium

About the museum

The museum was founded in 2005 as a permanent exhibition entitled “Hic Domus Aeneae” and displays part of the finds from the excavations of ancient Lavinium, the city that tradition links to Aeneas and the Latin people. Systematic exploration of the site began in 1958 under the direction of Ferdinando Castagnoli, and it has made it possible to reconstruct the history of an important religious centre of ancient Latium.

The museum is located in the locality of Pratica di Mare, on the outskirts of Pomezia, near the medieval village of the same name, and is run by the municipality of Pomezia. The display, which also uses multimedia tools, welcomes visitors with the large terracotta statue of Minerva Tritonia, dating from the 5th century BC, flanked by the figure of the river god Triton.

The route is arranged in five rooms: Tritonia Virgo, Mundus muliebris, Hic domus Aeneae, Civitas religiosa and Aeneas Indiges. They display the terracotta votive statues from the sanctuary of Minerva, Greek pottery from the thirteen altars, and grave goods, including those of the Heroon of Aeneas. The museum also offers guided tours, workshops and a tactile route for blind and partially sighted visitors.

Highlights

• Terracotta statue of Minerva Tritonia, 5th century BC
• Female votive statues from the deposit of the sanctuary of Minerva
• Greek pottery from the thirteen altars of Lavinium
• Grave goods of the Heroon of Aeneas
• Tactile route with Braille captions

Permanent exhibition

• Percorso espositivo permanente in cinque sale – The rooms Tritonia Virgo, Mundus muliebris, Hic domus Aeneae, Civitas religiosa and Aeneas Indiges tell the story of Lavinium, its sanctuaries and the myth of Aeneas.

Founded

2005

Operated by

Comune di Pomezia

Visitors per year

approx. 5,571

Admission & discounts

Free admission also for European Union tourist guides and interpreters, ICOM members, teaching staff, members of the Carabinieri Cultural Heritage Protection Unit (Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Culturale), journalists and escorts of groups of more than 20 people. Free admission on special occasions announced on the museum's website and social media.

Accessibility

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

The museum has no architectural barriers for people with mobility impairments. For blind and partially sighted visitors there is a route with tactile tools and captions in Braille.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

For schools, workshops such as “Caccia al dettaglio”, “La ceramica: facciamo un vaso!” and “Il Gioco di Enea” are offered. Families can celebrate children's birthdays with workshops arranged by telephone or e-mail; on some occasions the museum takes part in Kid Pass initiatives.

Getting there & parking

Pomezia – Santa Palomba station (lines FL7 and FL8) is 11.8 km from the museum; from there continue by bus 1. The nearest airports are Rome-Ciampino (33 km) and Rome-Fiumicino (37 km).

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

In the ticket office area there is a small bookshop with catalogues, guides and gadgets. The museum works with a dog-sitting service for visitors who want to leave their dog in care while they visit.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit