Museo civico “La Città Sotterranea”
Civic museum of Chiusi with three sections: the myth of Porsenna's labyrinth, productive activities and Etruscan epigraphy in the underground tunnels.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museo civico “La Città Sotterranea” in Chiusi, opened in 2004, enriches the city's archaeological offer alongside the Museo archeologico nazionale and the Museo della Cattedrale. The route is organised in three sections: “Il Labirinto”, “Attività produttive” and “Epigrafica”.
The visit begins at the Palazzo delle Logge, where the section on the labyrinth tells, with panels, interactive objects, photographs and a large model, the myth of the Etruscan king Porsenna, whose mausoleum is said to lie in a labyrinth dug beneath the city. A reconstruction follows the description by Varro handed down by Pliny the Elder.
In Via Baldetti visitors can see the section on productive activities, with 19th- and 20th-century farm tools, ceramics, Etruscan and Roman amphorae and a reconstruction of an Etruscan banquet, and the epigraphic section, housed in 140 metres of Etruscan tunnels. Here a monumental well offers a view of an underground pool thirty metres deep. It is the only museum section in Italy entirely devoted to Etruscan epigraphy, with around 500 inscriptions on urns and funerary tiles.
Highlights
- Reconstruction of the mausoleum of Porsenna
- 140-metre Etruscan tunnels
- Underground pool 30 metres deep
- 500 Etruscan inscriptions on urns and tiles
- Reconstruction of an Etruscan banquet
Permanent exhibitions
- Il Labirinto – The myth of King Porsenna and his mausoleum, with panels, interactive objects and a model.
- Attività produttive – The economy of the Chiusi area: farm tools, ceramics, amphorae and a reconstructed Etruscan banquet.
- Epigrafica – Around 500 Etruscan inscriptions on urns and funerary tiles, displayed in the underground tunnels.
- Founded
- 2004
- Operated by
- Comune di Chiusi
- Visitors per year
- approx. 4,535
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3children aged 6 to 14 and over 65s |
| Children & teens | €3Free admission up to 6; reduced rate from 6 to 14. |
| Seniors | €3Reduced rate for over 65s. |
The Museo della Cattedrale and Labirinto di Porsenna has a separate ticket (€5 standard, €3 reduced).
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
Entrance at Via II Ciminia 2, reached from Piazza XX Settembre, in the historic centre of Chiusi.
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
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Entry at fixed times with compulsory booking; the entrance is from Piazza XX Settembre. The sections “Attività produttive” and “Epigrafica” are in Via Baldetti. |
