Regional Archaeological Museum of Aidone
The Regional Archaeological Museum of Aidone (Museo Regionale Interdisciplinare di Aidone) is the principal repository for finds from the nearby ancient Greco-Sicilian city of Morgantina, one of the most significant and thoroughly excavated archaeological sites in Sicily. The museum’s collections span the Neolithic through the Hellenistic and Roman periods, but its international renown rests above all on a group of spectacular artefacts that were illicitly exported in the twentieth century and subsequently repatriated to Sicily — most notably the Goddess of Morgantina (Venus of Morgantina), a cult statue of the early fifth century BCE returned from the J. Paul Getty Museum in 2011.
At a glance
- Type
- Regional archaeological museum
- Period
- Collections: Neolithic to Roman (c. 3000 BCE – c. 50 CE); museum established late 20th century
- Style
- Museum in adapted historic building (former Capuchin convent)
- Location
- Aidone, Province of Enna, Sicily, Italy
- Coordinates
- 37.4135° N, 14.4473° E
Overview
Morgantina, the ancient city whose remains lie two kilometres from Aidone on the ridge of Serra Orlando, was founded by an Italic people (the Morgetes) before passing to Greek colonists and flourishing as a prosperous Hellenistic centre in the third century BCE. Systematic excavations, led principally by American teams since the 1950s, have produced an exceptional record of daily life, civic architecture, and artistic production in a mid-sized Sicilian Greek city. The Aidone museum translates that excavation record into a coherent narrative for the public, supported by one of the finest assemblages of Hellenistic silver, terracotta, and monumental sculpture found anywhere in the western Greek world.
History
Large-scale scientific excavation at Morgantina began in 1955 under Princeton University and has continued with various institutions since. The site gained unwanted fame in the 1970s–1980s when looted objects from clandestine excavations entered international art markets and major museum collections without documentation. Decades of scholarly research eventually traced these objects to Morgantina and Aidone, leading to landmark repatriation agreements: the Getty returned the Goddess of Morgantina in 2011, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art returned the Morgantina silver hoard in 2010. These returns transformed the Aidone museum from a regional institution into a site of international significance for cultural property discussions.
What you see
The museum’s galleries display artefacts chronologically from prehistoric through Roman times, with the Hellenistic material forming the centrepiece. The Goddess of Morgantina — an acrolithic cult statue approximately 2.2 metres tall, with marble head and extremities and a gilded wooden body now reconstructed — occupies a dedicated room and is among the most imposing Greek sculptures on display anywhere in Sicily. The repatriated Morgantina silver hoard comprises 16 objects of extraordinary craftsmanship. Other highlights include terracotta figurines, coins, household items, and architectural elements that illuminate daily life in the ancient city.
Cultural significance
The Aidone museum is a landmark case study in the repatriation of looted antiquities and in the power of provenance research to reunite objects with their places of origin. The return of the Goddess of Morgantina and the silver hoard has given this small hill town a collection of international calibre, dramatically transforming local cultural tourism and demonstrating the long-term heritage cost of illicit excavation. The museum also serves as the principal interpretive centre for Morgantina, a UNESCO Tentative List site.
Practical information
- Address
- Piazza Cordova, Aidone, 94010, Province of Enna, Sicily
- Hours
- Typically Tuesday–Sunday; check official Sicilian Regional Museums website for current times
- Admission
- Regional museum tariff; combined tickets with Morgantina archaeological site available
Getting there
Aidone is approximately 130 km from Palermo and 100 km from Catania. The nearest airports are Catania-Fontanarossa (CTA) and Palermo Falcone-Borsellino (PMO). There is no rail link to Aidone; the most practical approach is by car via the A19 motorway, exiting at Enna or Caltagirone. Local buses connect Aidone with Piazza Armerina and Enna, though schedules are infrequent — a rental car is strongly recommended for visiting both the museum and the Morgantina site.