At a glance

Type

Civic archaeological museum

Period

Collections from prehistory through late antiquity; museum established 19th century

Style

Historic palazzo, Como old town

Location

Como, Province of Como, Lombardy, Italy

Coordinates

45.8087° N, 9.0840° E

Overview

Named in honour of the Como-born humanist Paolo Giovio, one of the most celebrated historians and art collectors of the Italian Renaissance, the archaeological museum is part of the civic museum complex of Como. It holds the principal collection of ancient artefacts from the city and its surrounding territory, covering the prehistoric Canegrate culture, the Iron Age Golasecca civilisation, the Celtic Insubres, and the Roman colony of Comum founded in 59 BCE under Julius Caesar. The museum’s holdings are essential to understanding the deep historical roots of the Lake Como area.

History

Archaeological collections in Como were first assembled in the 19th century, driven by both local antiquarian interest and the discoveries made during urban development and lakeside works. The museum was formally established and dedicated to Paolo Giovio, recognising his pioneering role as a collector and biographer of Renaissance Italy. Successive generations of excavations in the Como basin — particularly at the necropolis sites that revealed Golasecca culture cemeteries — greatly enriched the collections, which were reorganised and expanded throughout the 20th century.

What you see

The permanent collection is arranged chronologically and begins with Neolithic and Bronze Age materials, followed by an outstanding display of Golasecca culture finds (9th–4th century BCE) including bronze vessels, fibulae, and pottery that trace the early trade routes between the Po plain and the Alpine passes. Roman Comum is represented by marble portrait busts, funerary reliefs, mosaic fragments, architectural elements, and a significant epigraphic collection with Latin inscriptions recording the city’s magistrates, merchants, and religious life. Medieval objects and a lapidary garden complete the visit.

Cultural significance

The Paolo Giovio Museum is the main repository for the archaeological identity of Como, a city whose strategic position at the southern tip of Lake Como made it a crossroads of Alpine trade from the Bronze Age onward. As the home institution of Golasecca culture research, it has contributed significantly to the scholarly understanding of pre-Roman northern Italy and the routes by which Greek and Etruscan goods reached Central Europe.

Practical information

Address

Piazza Medaglie d’Oro 1, 22100 Como CO, Italy

Opening hours

Tuesday–Sunday; check the official Musei Civici di Como website for current times and admission fees

Admission

Ticketed; reduced rates for students and seniors

Getting there

Como San Giovanni railway station is served by direct trains from Milan Centrale (approx. 35 minutes) and by regional services from Lecco and Varese. From the station, the museum is a short walk or tram ride into the historic centre. By car, Como is reached via the A9 motorway (Milan–Chiasso). Lake ferries also connect the town to other lakeside destinations.

Sources & resources

• Musei Civici di Como — official museum information
• Paolo Giovio — Wikipedia
• Cultural Heritage Online — discover more Italian heritage sites