Museo del Sannio
Provincial museum in the former Benedictine abbey of Santa Sofia, with a Romanesque cloister and collections on the archaeology, art and history of the Sannio.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The first collections were brought together in 1806 in the former Jesuit college, when Benevento was a principality of Talleyrand. The museum was formally established by the Provincial Council on 4 September 1873 and was housed in the Rocca dei Rettori. In 1929 the collections were moved to the former Benedictine monastery of Santa Sofia, which the Province had bought the previous year.
The Santa Sofia complex, founded in the 8th century, has been part of the Unesco site “I Longobardi in Italia. Luoghi del potere” (The Lombards in Italy: Places of Power) since 2011. After a reorganisation in the 1960s and its closure because of the damage caused by the 1980 earthquake, the museum was restored and reopened in several phases up to 1999.
The collections include archaeological material from prehistory to the Samnite cities of Caudium and Telesia and to the Roman period, sections devoted to the Lombards and to the history of the territory, a picture gallery with paintings from the 16th to the 20th century, and a cabinet of drawings and prints. Since December 2025 a redisplay project promoted by the Ministry of Culture has been under way.
Highlights
- Romanesque cloister of Santa Sofia with garden
- Archaeology section from the Palaeolithic to the Samnite cities and the Roman period
- Langobardia Minor rooms with weapons, jewels and a coin collection
- Loggia dei Leoni and picture gallery with paintings from the 16th to the 20th century
- Egyptian collection from the temple of Isis
Permanent exhibition
- Collezioni permanenti di Santa Sofia – Sections on archaeology and medieval history, history and art, with the Romanesque cloister, Lombard rooms, the Loggia dei Leoni and the picture gallery.
- Founded
- 1873
- Operated by
- Provincia di Benevento
- Visitors per year
- approx. 23,169
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2Residents of the Province of Benevento, groups of 20 people, over 65s, students with ID, Touring Club members and Friends of the Museum |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and their companion. |
| Combined ticket (museum, cloister, Palazzo Casiello, Egyptian section at the Arcos, Museo dell’Arco di Traiano), valid for two days | €6Reduced €4. |
The €4 ticket covers the museum and the cloister. Free admission also for teachers with their classes, journalists and licensed tour guides.
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 route is spread over two floors; staff can indicate the easiest routes. No information is published on lifts and ramps.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum is in the historic centre, near Corso Garibaldi; the railway station is about 15 to 20 minutes on foot away.
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
| Good to know | In addition to the Santa Sofia site, the circuit includes Palazzo Casiello, the Egyptian section at the Arcos, the Museo dell’Arco di Traiano in Sant’Ilario a Port’Aurea, and the Rocca dei Rettori (open according to the opening hours of the provincial offices). Bookings: +39 345 7542984. |
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