Museo civico Palazzo Pignatelli
Civic museum of Menfi in the 17th-century Palazzo Pignatelli, with a late antique necropolis, an archaeological exhibition on the local area and a shell collection.
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About the museum
The palace was built in 1638 at the behest of Diego Aragona Tagliavia, founder of Menfi, on the site of the castle of Federico II di Svevia, of which one tower survives. Over the centuries it changed use several times: town hall, court, school, public venue and finally museum. The building has two floors; a marble staircase rises from the inner courtyard to the piano nobile (main floor).
During restoration work at the end of the 20th century and in the early 2000s, a late antique necropolis dating between the 4th and 7th centuries came to light on the ground floor and in the courtyard; it can now be seen just below the floor level. The excavation finds are part of the permanent exhibition “Dal villaggio al palazzo: paesaggi storici di Menfi” (From village to palace: historic landscapes of Menfi), which presents the results of archaeological research carried out in the area in recent decades.
The palace also houses the permanent malacology exhibition, which grew out of the donation of Vanna Rotolo (1943–2014). Over more than twenty years she collected more than 5,000 shells from the sea at Porto Palo and from around the world; about 1,500 scientifically catalogued specimens are displayed in three rooms. The museum also holds artworks donated to the town by the artist Rita Gallè and prints by the master printmaker Giorgio Upiglio.
Highlights
- Late antique necropolis (4th–7th century) beneath the palace floor
- Archaeological exhibition “Dal villaggio al palazzo: paesaggi storici di Menfi”
- Malacology collection with about 1,500 shells on display
- Artworks donated by Rita Gallè and prints by Giorgio Upiglio
- 17th-century palace built on the site of the castle of Federico II di Svevia
Permanent exhibitions
- Dal villaggio al palazzo: paesaggi storici di Menfi – Route through the results of the archaeological excavations in the Menfi area, with finds from the palace’s late antique necropolis.
- Mostra permanente di malacologia – About 1,500 catalogued shells, part of the Vanna Rotolo donation, displayed in three rooms.
- Operated by
- Comune di Menfi
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours are available in Italian and English. |
