Museo d'Aumale – Museo regionale di Terrasini

About the museum

The museum is housed in Palazzo d'Aumale, a nineteenth-century building overlooking the seafront of Terrasini. The palace was built by Vincenzo Grifeo, Prince of Partanna and Duke of Floridia, and later passed to Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale and son of the French king Louis Philippe, who used it as a store for wine produced on the nearby Zucco estate.

The regional museum was founded in 2001, following an agreement signed on 3 April between the Sicilian Region and the Municipality of Terrasini: the municipality granted almost all the premises of the palace on free loan, to house the natural history, ethnoanthropological and archaeological collections of the Region and the finds of the former civic museum.

The route, spread over 12 rooms, is devoted to the natural history of Sicily, with fossils, dioramas and rich birdlife; to archaeology, with underwater finds recovered from the Mezzapraia roadstead; and to a permanent exhibition on the Sicilian painted cart. The study collections comprise over 500,000 natural history specimens, including important ornithological and entomological collections.

Highlights

• Underwater archaeological finds and reconstruction of a section of the Greek ship Kyrenia
• Permanent exhibition of the Sicilian painted cart
• Natural history route with fossils, dioramas and Sicilian birds
• Reproduction of the night sounds of the Ficuzza woodland
• Ornithological and entomological collections of European significance

Permanent exhibitions

• Sezione archeologica – Amphorae and underwater finds from the seabed off Terrasini are displayed in the first room, together with a reconstruction of a section of the Greek ship Kyrenia.
• Mostra permanente del carretto siciliano – The route traces the history of traditional means of transport up to the painted cart, with specimens, model boats and objects of material culture.
• Sezione naturalistica – Sicilian fossils, endemic species, dioramas of parks and nature reserves, and a section devoted to birdlife.

Founded

2001

Operated by

Regione Siciliana

Visitors per year

approx. 6,916 (2022)

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of the month, 09:00 to 19:00

Free admission also for licensed EU tourist guides and interpreters, ICOM members, journalists with press card, permanent and temporary teachers, and other categories provided for by regional regulations.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• 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

Ramps and a lift are available; according to the museum's service charter, more than half of the rooms are directly accessible.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The education department offers schools educational visits and workshops by booking.

Getting there & parking

By car, take the A29 motorway, exit at Terrasini and then follow the state road SS 113. From Palermo Falcone Borsellino airport the museum can also be reached by taxi.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop: not available
• Coat check: not available
• Wi-Fi

According to the museum's service charter, there is a Wi-Fi area; there is no café, restaurant or bookshop. The museum has toilets, a conference hall and a library.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit