Museo Universitario di Scienze della Terra (MUST)
Museum of Sapienza University in the Città Universitaria with minerals, rocks, meteorites and fossils from the historic collections of geology, mineralogy and paleontology.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The MUST was officially established in 2016 by merging the three historic museums of geology, mineralogy and paleontology of Sapienza Università di Roma, founded between 1804 and 1928. The collections comprise over 35,000 mineral specimens, 7,000 geological and 100,000 paleontological specimens: minerals, gems, meteorites, rocks and fossils, often unique examples of national and international importance, as well as books, thematic maps and historical instruments.
The idea of a single large museum goes back to the architect Michelucci, who opened the space in 1935; after the bombing of the San Lorenzo district in 1943 the museum was broken up and never rebuilt under a unified plan. In 2016 the MUST was reborn in the same building, which in the meantime had been raised by one floor. The four-storey space covers about 4,100 square metres, almost entirely given over to exhibition rooms, plus a modern storage facility and conservation and research laboratories.
The core of the museum consists of holdings acquired before Italian unification, such as the Spada, Watson, Belli, Dodwell, Ponzi, Kircher, Michelotti, Meli, De Angelis D’Ossat and Cerulli Irelli collections, the Dactyliotheca and, since 2009, the Rovis collection of giant crystals. The museum also has a space for temporary exhibitions.
Highlights
- Over 35,000 mineral, 7,000 geological and 100,000 paleontological specimens
- Rovis collection of giant crystals
- Historic Spada, Watson, Ponzi and Kircher collections
- Meteorites, gems and fossils
- Free LIS sign-language information service, by reservation
Permanent exhibition
- Collezioni di mineralogia, geologia e paleontologia – Minerals, gems, meteorites, rocks and fossils from Sapienza’s historic collections.
- Founded
- 2016
- Operated by
- Sapienza Università di Roma – Polo museale
- Director
- Marco Romano
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | –Groups of up to 25 people, guided tour included: €110 per group, by reservation, paid by bank transfer. |
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Free admission for individual visitors with a compulsory reservation for as long as the renovation work lasts. The LIS information service is free of charge, by reservation.
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
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Free LIS (Italian Sign Language) information service, by reservation.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum is located at the Department of Earth Sciences in the Città Universitaria (building CU005).
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 |
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| Good to know | Reservation required. The museum is located at the Department of Earth Sciences, building CU005 of the Città Universitaria. |
