Archaeological Museum of Palazzo Varisano, Enna

The museum’s headquarters is Palazzo Varisano, a building constructed in the 18th century on the remains of an older 16th-century structure, traces of which are still visible in the ground floor rooms. The building is also noted in historical chronicles because on August 13, 1863, Giuseppe Garibaldi delivered the famous speech ending with the phrase “…either Rome or death.”   The museum illustrates the prehistoric, classical, and medieval phases of archaeological sites in the province of Enna, excluding the territories of Centuripe, Aidone, and Piazza Armerina, for which there are specific museums either existing or being set up. The collections come from excavations carried out by the Superintendency, acquisitions from private individuals, and transfers from the Museums of Syracuse and Agrigento.   The museum’s arrangement is curated according to a topographic criterion of the areas, sites, and contexts of origin. In each room, artifacts are displayed and, through educational supports, the locations of discovery and the history of the research are explained.