National Archaeological Museum of Tarquinia — Vitelleschi Palace
The National Archaeological Museum of Tarquinia occupies the Palazzo Vitelleschi, a magnificent Gothic-Renaissance palace at the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage city. Tarquinia was one of the most powerful Etruscan city-states, and the museum holds one of Italy’s finest collections of Etruscan artefacts — including painted sarcophagi, bucchero ware, gold jewellery and the celebrated terracotta winged horses. Together, the palace and its collections constitute an unmissable destination for anyone tracing the roots of ancient Italian civilisation.
At a glance
- Type
- National archaeological museum — Etruscan
- Period
- Palace built 1436–1439; Etruscan collections spanning 9th–1st century BC
- Style
- Late Gothic with Renaissance elements (palace); Etruscan and Italic (collections)
- Location
- Tarquinia, Province of Viterbo, Lazio, Italy
- Coordinates
- 42.2536° N, 11.7530° E
Overview
Tarquinia — formerly known as Corneto — is renowned across the world for its extensive Etruscan necropoleis, whose painted tombs represent some of the most important surviving art of the ancient world. The city and the nearby Necropolis of Monterozzi together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated in 2004. The museum within Palazzo Vitelleschi acts as the essential interpretive counterpart to the open-air tomb complex, presenting the moveable heritage recovered from thousands of years of burial tradition.
History
Palazzo Vitelleschi was built between 1436 and 1439 for Cardinal Giovanni Vitelleschi, a powerful ecclesiastical and military figure of the early Renaissance. The building changed hands numerous times before becoming state property in the 19th century. Archaeological collections had been accumulating in the city since the systematic excavations of the 19th century, when Tarquinian tombs yielded extraordinary quantities of painted ceramics, metalwork and funerary objects. The national museum was formally established to house and display these finds in a manner befitting their international importance.
What you see
The museum’s highlight is a pair of terracotta winged horses (4th–3rd century BC) that once decorated the pediment of the Ara della Regina sanctuary — they rank among the masterpieces of Etruscan sculpture. Painted sarcophagi, many with finely carved portrait lids, line entire rooms. Bucchero pottery, Attic red-figure vases, Etruscan gold jewellery, and bronze objects illustrate the wealth and cosmopolitan culture of ancient Tarquinia. Upper rooms offer panoramic views over the medieval townscape.
Cultural significance
Tarquinia’s UNESCO status reflects the extraordinary density and quality of its painted tombs, which are the primary visual record of Etruscan daily life, beliefs and funerary practice. The Vitelleschi museum provides the material dimension to that record, making Tarquinia one of the world’s most important centres for the study of pre-Roman Italy. The winged horses alone justify the journey from Rome.
Practical information
- Address
- Palazzo Vitelleschi, Piazza Cavour, 01016 Tarquinia VT, Italy
- Opening hours
- Check the official MiC website or contact the museum for current hours; closed Mondays
- Admission
- Paid entry; combined tickets with the Necropolis of Monterozzi available
Getting there
Tarquinia is served by regional trains from Roma San Pietro (approximately 80 minutes). Alight at Tarquinia station and take the connecting bus or taxi to the historic centre (about 4 km). By car, take the A12 motorway towards Civitavecchia, then follow the SS1 north. The Palazzo Vitelleschi is in the central Piazza Cavour.