Museo civico della pietra “Chiara Marinelli”
Civic museum devoted to stone: prehistoric collection of over 1,600 artefacts and a section on the stonemasons of Pescopennataro.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museo civico della pietra “Chiara Marinelli” was founded in Pescopennataro, in the Alto Molise, and has been open to the public since 2006. The village is known for its tradition of stonemasons: from around the 18th century a true artistic school of stone-working took shape there, whose masters made balustrades, holy-water stoups, fountains, portals and decorations for houses and churches, in Italy and abroad.
The museum is named after Chiara Marinelli, niece of the couple Pietro Patriarca and Fortuna Ciavolino. The prehistoric collection comes from them, the result of thirty years of research in the Alto Molise area: it includes over 1,600 artefacts in flint and limestone, documenting a stable human presence and a very refined lithic industry, with Lower Palaeolithic tools alongside Neolithic ones, as well as small ornaments and idols.
The route is divided into three thematic areas: the rocks of the territory, the art of the stonemason, with the section named after Mario Di Tullio, and prehistory. The section on the stonemasons was renewed in 2026 with a new permanent display that traces the work of the masters of Pescopennataro from the 18th to the 20th century. The museum also offers educational visits and workshops for schools.
Highlights
- Over 1,600 prehistoric artefacts in flint and limestone
- Mario Di Tullio section on the stonemasons of Pescopennataro
- Area devoted to the rocks of the territory
- Small ornaments and prehistoric idols
- Nativity scene made of smoothed natural stones
Permanent exhibitions
- Area Rocce – Route to discover the local stones, their shapes, colours and geological origin.
- Sezione Mario Di Tullio: l’arte dello scalpellino – Tools, techniques and works of the stonemasons of Pescopennataro from the 18th to the 20th century, with historical-documentary panels and display cases.
- Area Preistoria – Patriarca collection with over 1,600 lithic artefacts in flint and limestone, ornaments and idols of the Alto Molise.
- Founded
- 2006
- Operated by
- Comune di Pescopennataro
- Director
- Massimiliano Paglione
- Visitors per year
- approx. 50
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1children under 14 and adults over 65 |
| Groups (15+ people) | –Groups of 15 to 30 people by reservation only. |
| Educational programme for schools (visit, workshop and walk through the village) | €10Per visitor, about 4 hours; free for teachers and escorts; booking required. |
The €2.50 ticket and the reduced rate of €1 are listed on the Ministry of Culture page; the municipal website lists no prices.
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 municipal listing indicates an access ramp.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
For schools there is the educational workshop “Preistoria viva” (Living Prehistory), with lighting a fire, making prehistoric tools, archery and working clay.
Getting there & parking
The museum is in Pescopennataro (province of Isernia); the municipality’s official address is also given as Largo Caduti per la Patria.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Booking is compulsory for schools and recommended for all other visitors (municipal telephone +39 0865 941 131, WhatsApp and the director’s telephone +39 340 527 5999). |
