The Archaeological Museum has been renovated and expanded, with new exhibition spaces in the building on via Nirone, accessible by a walkway that crosses the Roman walls from the museum’s inner cloister.
The archaeological museum is located in an extraordinary architectural setting, the former convent of the Monastero Maggiore di San Maurizio, founded in the 8th century AD, where the history of ancient Milan still shows visible traces. The area was occupied by a 1st-century AD residential building, the walls, and the large Roman circus adjacent to the imperial palace from the late 3rd century AD, of which substantial remains have been preserved.
The collections are displayed in different rooms according to their cultural origin. On the ground floor, beyond the first cloister (architectural decoration originating in Milan) is the section dedicated to Ancient Milan.
The visit continues in the inner cloister (“Milanese society through inscriptions”) where the polygonal tower (late 3rd century) with early medieval frescoes (13th century) can be visited. The film “Milan Capital of the Empire” is viewable by clicking on Useful Sites (top right).
In the basement, the sections of Caesarea Maritima and Gandhara can be visited.
From the museum’s inner cloister, by walking along the walkway that crosses the Roman walls, you reach the new building. Inside the polygonal tower of the walls, a sculpture donated to the Municipality of Milan by Mimmo Paladino is exhibited.
On the ground floor, next to the conference-educational room, a path dedicated to ancient music (Silent Sounds. Images and musical instruments of the Civic Archaeological Museum of Milan) has been set up.
The early medieval section is displayed on the first floor, the Etruscan section on the second, while the third floor is dedicated to the Greek section. From a small room at the end of the Etruscan section, it is possible to take a glance at the two Roman towers of the Monastero Maggiore complex.
The Egyptian, Prehistory, and Protohistory collections are exhibited in the Visconti Halls of the Sforza Castle.
Information about the Archaeological Museum of Milan
Corso Magenta, 15
20100 Milan (Milan)
02804843 – 0286450011
museo.archeologico@comune.milano.it
https://www.comune.milano.it/dseserver/museiemostre/index.htm
Source: MIBACT
