Museo degli Euganei – Villa Beatrice d'Este

About the museum

The site on Monte Gemola was occupied by a small monastery inhabited by hermits. In 1221 Blessed Beatrice d'Este, a descendant of the lords of Este, moved there with her companions and lived there until her death in 1226; the reputation for holiness of the place attracted offerings and bequests throughout the 13th century. In 1576 the nuns were moved to Padua and Beatrice's remains were transferred to the church of Santa Sofia.

Around 1657 the convent, by then abandoned, passed to a Venetian merchant who converted it into a villa. The layout of that period has largely remained unchanged, except for the ancient cemetery area, altered by the construction of the barchessa (farm outbuilding). Restorations promoted by public bodies in the 1970s and 1980s, preceded by careful research, made it possible to recognise traces of the ancient monastery in the villa.

For years some ground-floor rooms housed the natural history section of the provincial museum. After restoration the villa reopened on 1 May 2026 with the new display “MUS eu M – Museo degli Euganei”, promoted by the Province of Padua: nine themed rooms with multimedia installations, immersive projections and virtual reality stations tell the story of Beatrice and the villa, the nature of the Euganean Hills and local products.

Highlights

• Animated talking painting of Blessed Beatrice d'Este
• Nine themed rooms with multimedia installations and immersive projections
• Virtual reality stations with 360-degree flights over the Euganean Hills
• Natural history section with “talking” taxidermied animals
• Videos on the producers and flavours of the Euganean Hills

Permanent exhibition

• MUS eu M – Museo degli Euganei – Nine themed rooms with multimedia installations, virtual reality and a natural history section tell the story of the villa, Blessed Beatrice d'Este and the Euganean Hills.

Operated by

Provincia di Padova

Visitors per year

approx. 2,000

Admission & discounts

Prices of €5 and €3 according to the Musei Italiani portal (updated May 2026); the museum takes part in the “FAI per me” programme, and FAI members are entitled to the reduced ticket.

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: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Musei Italiani portal indicates that there is access for people with disabilities; no further details are available.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The route is designed for families, schools and curious visitors, with interactive content, touch screens and virtual reality; the natural history section is designed to surprise even the youngest visitors.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & 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