Museo minerario di Montevecchio
Mine museums at Montevecchio: the Castoldi Collection in the former Ufficio Geologico, Museo dei Minerali and dioramas of mining life, in Arbus.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Montevecchio museum complex tells the story of one of Europe’s most important mines and of the people who worked there. The former Ufficio Geologico building was constructed in the late 1940s for the geological and mining service of the Montevecchio company, with a mineralogical-petrographic laboratory and a display of samples from the deposit and from other Italian sites. The Comune di Arbus acquired and restored it in 2004 for visitors.
Part of the Sanna-Castoldi family collection, linked to the mining history of Montevecchio, is on display: the engineer Alberto Castoldi was general director of the mines from 1877. The collection includes everyday objects for men and women, archaeological finds, folk amulets and traditional Sardinian jewellery from the late 19th to the early 20th century. The building also houses the Archivio storico Sanna-Castoldi, which can be consulted with authorisation from the Soprintendenza archivistica della Sardegna.
In the former guesthouse (Foresteria), built in 1930 to house engineers and managers and owned by the Comune di Arbus since 2001, are the Museo dei Minerali, with samples mainly from the Montevecchio mine and from other sites in Sardinia, Italy and around the world, and the Museo dei Diorami Dellacà, which uses dioramas to recreate mining life in different periods along an educational route.
Highlights
- Sanna-Castoldi Collection in the former Ufficio Geologico
- Museo dei Minerali with samples from the Montevecchio deposit
- Dellacà dioramas of mining life in different periods
- Traditional Sardinian jewellery and amulets
- Sanna-Castoldi historical archive
- Operated by
- Comune di Arbus (gestione CEAS Ingurtosu)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Children aged 7 to 12 and groups of at least 10 people |
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 6 · Children aged 0 to 6 free; ages 7 to 12: €5. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for visitors with disabilities. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €5 per personGroups of at least 10 people: reduced ticket. |
Please check prices in advance.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The sites are in Montevecchio, a hamlet of the comune of Arbus: the former Ufficio Geologico is located along the Strada Provinciale 65.
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 | Guided tours led by tourist and hiking guides registered with the regional guide register, lasting about 1.5–2 hours. Tours are booked via the contact form on the website, by phone or by email. |
