The collection of the Vatican Etruscan Museum in Rome is divided over two buildings. The objects on display are mostly Etruscan, but also Greek and Roman. Some of the rooms are decorated with frescoes by famous artists, such as the Zuccari brothers.
Gregorian Etruscan Museum Rome
Address, opening hours and entrance fee
Address, opening hours and admission Gregorian Etruscan Museum.
History
The Etruscan section of the Vatican Museums was opened by Pope Gregory XVI in 1837.
The collection includes vases, bronzes and other objects from the southern part of the former Etruria (the northern part of today’s Latium region). The objects have emerged during excavations from the period after 1828.
At that time, that part of Italy was still owned by the Papal State.
After the unification of Italy, the Vatican lost power and from 1870 the collection was only expanded by acquiring already existing collections.
The Collection
The Museo Gregoriano Etrusco consists of 22 rooms. The most important of these are Room II, where the Regolini Galassi Tomb can be seen, and the rooms where jewelry made by Etruscan goldsmiths is on display.
The artworks and utensils were made during a period that lasted from the 9th to the 1st century BC.
The Etruscan Museum also includes a large collection of Greek vases. However, these were found in the Etruscan necropolises. There are also several vases from the “Grecian” part of southern Italy.
The Antiquarium Romanum displays objects made by the Romans themselves.
Buildings
The Museo Etrusco is spread over two buildings. The Palazzetto di Innocenzo VIII was built in the 15th century. The rooms of the building next door, which was built a century later, are more interesting. It still has original frescoes by the Zuccari brothers, Pomarancio, Santi di Tito and others.