Over the years, following additional acquisitions of materials from excavations conducted in various areas of the Irpinia territory, the structure has been significantly enriched, becoming the emblem of the historical-archaeological importance that Irpinia holds within the context of the Campanian cultural deposits and thus establishing itself as a mandatory initial stop for anyone wishing to approach the knowledge of this territory and its history. The Irpino Museum of Avellino is divided into several rooms, each dedicated to an area of origin, including the Zigarelli collection itself, which can be defined as a collection of Iron Age materials, largely originating from the upper valley of the Ofanto River with other clusters of materials of uncertain provenance.
Irpinian Museums, current arrangement
The current arrangement is the result of a choice that reconciles two fundamental elements: the chronological sequence (from Prehistory to the late Roman Age) of the materials and their original provenance context; this path, therefore, although dated about thirty years ago, allows an easy visit and enjoyment of the structure and its assets, consistently with the current needs of archaeology and ancient history which strongly insist, in the dissemination of scientific knowledge, on the concepts of documentary sources and the contextualization of the documentary materials themselves.
Together with the Provincial Library Scipione and Giulio Capone and the Provincial Art Gallery, recently set up in the Bourbon Prison, it constitutes one of the most interesting cultural centers in our territory and, therefore, is at the center of the needs of enhancement and communication that every cultural deposit, by itself, places.
The Irpinian Museum of Avellino offers a vast and rich documentation on the various phases of settlement that our territory saw from the prehistoric age to the late Roman age. It is located in a neo-rationalist architectural building, designed by architect Francesco Fariello, winner of a national ideas competition in 1951. The structure stands on the site once occupied by the Bourbon-era Botanical Garden, as still evidenced today by the rich adjoining garden.
The Museum occupies the entire ground floor of the building, with a total area of about 2000 sqm, including the large internal courtyard, and stands in a multifunctional structure, within which other public services coexist, such as the Provincial Library, Provincial Media Library, Network Center.
Information on the Irpinian Museum of Avellino
Corso Europa, 251; branch location: Piazza d’ Armi snc, 83100 Avellino
Tel: 0975861511
Source: MIBACT
