Museo della preistoria della Tuscia e della Rocca Farnese
Museum in the Rocca Farnese in Valentano with a route on the prehistory of the Tuscia, medieval and modern sections and a tactile and olfactory route.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum is housed in the Rocca Farnese in Valentano, built as a place of defence and lookout and turned into a residential palace during the Farnese ownership, from 1354 to 1649. After the destruction of the Duchy of Castro it was used as a granary and prison, and in 1730 it became a cloistered convent of Dominican nuns; between 1867 and 1870 one wing housed a garrison of papal Zouaves.
Around 1930 the Comune assigned the Rocca to the primary schools; the building was then abandoned in 1957. Restoration began in 1979 and led in 1996 to the opening of the museum, established by the town council in 1989. In 2011 the restoration of the southern and eastern areas was completed; these now house the tactile and olfactory route, the specialist library, the archives and the restoration workshop.
The display includes a prehistoric and protohistoric section, a medieval, Renaissance and modern section, and the two rooms of the Octagonal Tower with the Etruscan collection donated by Bishop D’Ascenzi and the Enigmatic Tablet of the Latera caldera. The Rocca itself offers an architectural itinerary with the Cortile d’Amore, the well by Sangallo, the loggia of Paul III and the Scala Santa. The museum is part of the Sistema museale territoriale del lago di Bolsena (territorial museum system of Lake Bolsena).
Highlights
- Route on the prehistory of the Tuscia, from the Palaeolithic to the Early Iron Age
- D’Ascenzi Etruscan collection in the Octagonal Tower
- Enigmatic Tablet of the Latera caldera
- Cortile d’Amore, the well by Sangallo and the Scala Santa
- Tactile and olfactory route “Toccare la preistoria” (Touching Prehistory)
Permanent exhibitions
- Preistoria della Tuscia – On the first floor, over 400 square metres dedicated to prehistoric and protohistoric finds from the province of Viterbo, from the Lower Palaeolithic to the Early Iron Age.
- Età medievale, rinascimentale e moderna – Section on the history of the Rocca Farnese and the area from the Middle Ages to the modern era.
- Collezione etrusca D'Ascenzi e Tavoletta enigmatica – The two rooms of the Octagonal Tower display the Etruscan collection donated by Bishop D’Ascenzi and the Enigmatic Tablet of the Latera caldera.
- Founded
- 1996
- Operated by
- Comune di Valentano
- Visitors per year
- approx. 3,862
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3School groups, students up to 25 years old, over-65s, groups of more than 5 people, members of the University of the Third Age, members of the Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria (Italian Institute of Prehistory and Protohistory), holders of the Musei-Card of the Lake Bolsena museum system, military personnel and civil service volunteers |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 6 · Free admission up to 6 years. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and their companions. |
| Groups (6+ people) | €3 per personOrganised groups of more than 5 people pay the reduced ticket. |
Rates in force from 1 October 2026. Free admission also for residents of Valentano, accompanying teachers, tourist guides on duty and on the occasion of particular cultural events.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- 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
Despite the historic character of the Rocca, the route has lifts, stairlifts and suitable facilities; the main entrance at Piazza della Vittoria 11 presents no problems of motor accessibility. Seating is provided along the route, with information panels in Italian and English, a tactile and olfactory route with tactile maps, Braille panels and tactile floor guidance, and a QR-code route dedicated to the architecture. Assistance from an operator is guaranteed and must be requested in advance.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
The tactile and olfactory route, including a reconstruction of a Bronze Age hut, is also suitable for school groups; the museum offers educational activities and workshops.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Cotral bus lines; timetables can be checked on the company’s website.
By car
Free parking
Free car park in the main square; other car parks in Via delle Mura.
The approach to the museum is well signposted.
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 |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Visits to the tactile and olfactory route take place in small groups of four or five people with an operator; routes for school groups and educational activities are also planned. |
