Museo dell'Acqua
Multimedia museum above the Fonti di Pescaia, telling the story of the bottini (underground aqueducts) and the springs that supplied water to Siena.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museo dell’Acqua opened on 27 January 2010, after a long restoration of the building and its displays, in the rooms above the Fonti di Pescaia. The Municipality of Siena runs it with the cooperation of members of the association La Diana, who accompany visitors along the route. The museum occupies three floors, two from the 18th century and one from the 19th century, and was designed by the architects Roberto Santini, Goffredo Serrini and Claudio Zagaglia; the multimedia displays are by Studio Azzurro and Mizar.
The route immerses visitors in the story of the bottini and the springs through films, narration, objects and installations, with 10 multimedia stations. The recordings also include testimonies from older residents of the city, who recall how closely Siena’s history is tied to the water hidden underground. The visit includes the museum, the Fonti di Pescaia and the related bottino.
The bottini are a network of underground aqueducts, about 25 km long, which still feed the historic fountains today. The term first appears in a document of 1226. For centuries, until 1914, they were the city’s only water source, until water from the Vivo springs on Monte Amiata arrived; the new water network was completed in 1918. The two main branches are the Bottino maestro di Fontebranda, the oldest, and the Bottino di Fonte Gaia, built around 1300.
Highlights
- Multimedia route with 10 installations over three floors
- Visit to the Fonti di Pescaia and the related bottino
- The story of Siena’s bottini, about 25 km long
- Audio testimonies from older residents of the city
- Installations by Studio Azzurro and Mizar
- Founded
- 2010
- Operated by
- Comune di Siena
- Visitors per year
- approx. 208
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5children and young people aged 11 to 19, people over 65, university students and residents of the Municipality of Siena |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 10 · Free for children under 11. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and their companion. |
Tickets can be bought online or at the museum ticket office; for telephone or email bookings, advance payment is made through PagoPA.
Accessibility
The museum is temporarily closed for maintenance; the reopening date has not been announced.
Kids & families
The museum is temporarily closed for maintenance; the reopening date has not been announced.
Getting there & parking
The museum is on Strada delle Fonti di Pescaia, in Siena.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum is temporarily closed for maintenance; the reopening date has not been announced.
Events & venue rental
The museum is temporarily closed for maintenance; the reopening date has not been announced.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The visit is guided and includes the museum, the Fonti di Pescaia and the bottino. Booking is not required for individual visitors; it is compulsory for school groups (visits on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). |
