– Cavriana
Archaeological Museum of Alto Mantua
The Museum exhibits in a large exhibition space inside the prestigious building of Villa Mirra, at the foot of the Rocca Gonzaghesca di Cavriana, the materials collected during the investigations conducted by the local Archaeological Group. The exhibition follows a diachronic criterion and is divided into four main sections: prehistoric, Roman, medieval – Renaissance and Risorgimento. Among the numerous and important finds on display, the discoveries made in the pile-dwelling sites of Bande di Cavriana and Castellaro Lagusello are particularly noteworthy. In addition to promoting research activities in the hilly area and having its own editorial section, the Museum has also long since launched an intense educational activity with schools of various levels and levels and has developed specific tactile itineraries and workshops for the blind and visually impaired.
Inaugurated in 1969, it was first located in the medieval tower adjacent to the façade of the Parish Church. In 1983 it was moved to its current location and today, having a larger exhibition area and modern equipment and infrastructure, it ranks among the first and most interesting archaeological museums in Lombardy.
The visit itinerary is divided into three sections: Pre/protohistoric; Roman; Middle Ages/Renaissance.
Spread across eight showrooms; in the first four the prehistoric horizons are illustrated, the fifth and sixth rooms are dedicated to the Romanization period, in the seventh room the testimonies of the more recent periods have been collected. The eighth room is of particular historical interest given that it is the room where Emperor Napoleon III stayed during and at the conclusion of the Battle of Solferino. A visit to the Museum allows you to reconstruct 7,000 years of life in the Alto Mantua area.