Museo civico di San Severo

The Museum of Alto Tavoliere, recently renovated and equipped with the most modern services, occupies the halls of the historic headquarters of the former convent of San Francesco d’Assisi. The ancient convent complex (first attested in 1232) was rebuilt after the earthquake of July 30, 1627, expanding southwest towards the ancient city wall layout; the structure, with the attached church, underwent further renovations in the first half of the eighteenth century and during the twentieth century, until the last interventions completed in 2009, aimed at adapting the museum displays for greater enjoyment and enhancement of the entire building. With the suppression of the Franciscan order, the complex was used for various purposes different from its original intent: military barracks, town hall, orphanage, elementary school, and cultural container from the last decade of the twentieth century to today.

 

 

 

 

The MAT guides users through the past of the territory through the rich heritage from archaeological areas, from the Paleolithic to the Middle Ages.

The exhibition of the collections is preceded by two sections where the history of the territory is told as the history of landscapes and revealed through the diaries of past travelers and through aerial photographs that allowed the discovery of archaeological sites.

The route documents the presence of human settlements in the surrounding areas since the Paleolithic. The prehistoric collection presents materials from chance finds and surface collections, and the original artifacts are accompanied by reconstructions and faithful copies of objects that provide insights into the life of prehistoric populations.

The MAT contains one of the most important collections of grave goods from Daunian period tombs; the objects come from the necropolises of the Serpente, Pedincone, Casone locations (to which an entire room is dedicated) and from the urban center of San Severo. Among the most interesting objects on display, the presence of stelae, tomb markers, and grave goods emphasizing the prestige of the deceased (precious metal artifacts, Hellenistic culture ceramic artifacts) is extremely significant.

 The archaeological section on the upper floor ends with a themed room dedicated to the forms of production of Apulian red-figure pottery and the results represented by polychrome tempera ceramics.

The Lapidarium on the lower floor houses some Roman period artifacts, which allow the understanding of the social history of this area when it entered the political and economic orbit of Rome between the 3rd century BC and the 1st century AD. A room on the lower floor documents, finally, through archaeological finds, the productions that have characterized the Alto Tavoliere territory since the oldest epochs:  grain, wine, oil, and transhumant pastoralism.

Inside the museum, the “Luigi Schingo” Art Gallery was established in 2006, consisting of forty works including paintings, sculptures, and drawings, grouped by themes: landscapes, portraits, scenes of daily life.

The route ends with a ground floor space reserved for temporary exhibitions.

At the MAT, fully accessible to the disabled, guided tours, educational workshops, experimentation, simulation, and animation activities with specialized operators are carried out. Targeted paths, projects, consultancy, and in-depth insights are also carried out on request and based on particular needs presented by the teaching staff.