Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia

The Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Reggio Calabria – known as MArRC – is one of Italy's most important archaeological museums and the world's foremost collection of artefacts from Magna Graecia. It is here, in a climate-controlled ground-floor gallery, that the celebrated Riace Bronzes stand – two monumental 5th-century BC Greek warrior statues widely regarded as masterpieces of ancient sculpture. But the museum is far more than two bronzes – four floors of exhibition trace millennia of southern Italian history.

The collection spans artefacts from prehistory to the Roman era across multiple levels, and the building itself – the Rationalist-style Palazzo Piacentini from the first half of the 20th century – is one of the most striking examples of museum architecture in Europe.

History

The museum owes its existence to Paolo Orsi, a distinguished archaeologist from Trentino who conducted systematic excavations across Calabria and Sicily from the late 19th century onward. It was Orsi who assembled the core of the collection and persuaded the authorities that the treasures of Magna Graecia deserved a purpose-built home.

The Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in Reggio Calabria was established in 1882. The present building, Palazzo Piacentini, was constructed between 1932 and 1941. After the museum closed for a major renovation after 2009, sections of the exhibition were reopened in stages. The Riace Bronzes themselves returned to public display in December 2013, and further spaces were made accessible in subsequent years.

The building was designed by Marcello Piacentini – one of the most prominent Italian architects of the first half of the 20th century, also responsible for the Palazzo di Giustizia in Rome. Piacentini created a monumental Rationalist structure that integrated harmoniously into the fabric of a city still being rebuilt after the 1908 earthquake. Palazzo Piacentini is a symmetrical, representative building designed from the outset for a museum function. It stands on the axis of Piazza De Nava and remains one of the most recognisable public buildings in Reggio Calabria from the interwar period.

Palazzo Piacentini stands on Piazza De Nava in the historic centre of Reggio. During the renovation, the remains of a Hellenistic necropolis were discovered beneath the building and made accessible to visitors on the lowest level.

What to See

The permanent exhibition is arranged across four levels, which visitors follow in a logical chronological and thematic sequence:

Level A – Prehistory and Protohistory. Stone tools, ceramics, and objects from the Bronze and Iron Ages documenting the earliest human settlement in Calabria. This is where the journey begins – from the Palaeolithic to the threshold of Greek civilization.

Level B – Cities and Sanctuaries of Magna Graecia. Pottery, votive offerings, bronzes, and architectural elements from the great Greek colonies: Lokroi Epizephyrioi, Kroton, Sybaris, Hipponion (Vibo Valentia), and Locri. Among the highlights are the terracotta pinakes from Locri – relief panels depicting the myth of Persephone, unique in the world.

The pinakes from Locri are small terracotta votive tablets, mainly deposited at the Sanctuary of Persephone in Locri Epizephyrii and dating primarily to the 5th century BC. They depict scenes associated with Persephone/Kore, Hades, marriage and the bride's transition to a new status, which is why they are considered one of the most important bodies of religious iconography from Magna Graecia.

Level C – Necropoleis and Daily Life. Grave goods, jewellery, vessels, and military equipment from excavations at Sybaris, Kroton, Hipponion and Kaulonia. This floor reveals the lives of ordinary inhabitants of Magna Graecia – warriors, artisans, and merchants alike.

Level D – Reggio and the Riace Bronzes. The history of Reggio Calabria itself, from Greek Rhegion to Roman times. Here, in a specially designed room with controlled temperature and humidity, stand the Riace Bronzes. In an adjacent case is the so-called Head of Porticello – a 5th-century BC bronze head of a philosopher or seer, equally impressive though less well known.

The Riace Bronzes were discovered on 16 August 1972 by Stefano Mariottini off the coast of Riace Marina in the Ionian Sea. Statue A is dated to approximately 460–450 BC, Statue B to approximately 430–420 BC; both stand about 2 metres tall and rank among the best-preserved full-size classical Greek bronzes in the world. They retain inlays of copper, silver and calcite, offering a vivid impression of the skill of ancient craftsmen.

Level -1 (underground) – Temporary Exhibitions and Hellenistic Necropolis. Exhibition space for rotating shows, plus the authentic remains of a cemetery discovered beneath the foundations of Palazzo Piacentini.

Allow at least 2–3 hours for a full visit. An audioguide is available in several languages, including English and Italian.

Practical Information

Address: Piazza De Nava 26, 89123 Reggio Calabria
Opening hours: opening hours may change seasonally and administratively, so it is best to check current information on the museum's official website before visiting
Tickets: ticket prices and online sales should be checked on the museum's official website; in Italian state museums, free admission applies to those under 18, and EU citizens aged 18–25 benefit from a reduced ticket at €2
Website: museoarcheologicoreggiocalabria.it
Getting there: the museum is at Piazza Giuseppe De Nava, a few minutes' walk from the Lungomare Falcomatà; from Reggio di Calabria Lido station the walk takes about 5 minutes, from Reggio di Calabria Centrale usually 20–25 minutes on foot or a short ride by bus or taxi, and from Corso Garibaldi just a few minutes

It is worth noting that under the Domenica al Museo initiative, free admission often applies on the first Sunday of the month, but this should also be confirmed before your visit. If you want to see not just the Riace Bronzes gallery but also the main galleries, aim to arrive at least 60–90 minutes before closing.

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