Palazzo dei Musei (Musei Civici)

Reggio Emilia's Palazzo dei Musei brings together civic archaeological, natural-science and art collections inside a former Franciscan convent on Via Spallanzani.

Why it matters

The museum presents the history and natural environment of Reggio Emilia and its territory, from prehistoric settlement and Roman Mutina to local art and fossils. Its collections grew from scientific and archaeological work carried out by civic scholars, including naturalist Lazzaro Spallanzani and prehistorian Gaetano Chierici.

What to notice

The Museo Chierici di Paletnologia preserves material on prehistoric and protohistoric settlement. The Portico dei Marmi displays Roman inscriptions and carved stones, while the Atrio dei Musei includes Roman mosaics and medieval floor fragments. Natural-science collections encompass zoology, anatomy, botany and geology; a fossil whale from the Secchia valley, known as Valentina, records the Pliocene sea that once covered the area. The Galleria Antonio Fontanesi houses the city picture gallery, alongside a collection relating to photographer Luigi Ghirri.

Context and history

Franciscans settled on the site in 1256; convent works began in 1272. Architect Giovanni Maria Ferraroni gave the building its present Baroque form between 1700 and 1725. After Napoleonic suppression it served as barracks and a school. The museum vocation began in 1830, when the city installed Spallanzani's scientific collection. The top floor was reorganized by Italo Rota and reopened in 2021 with a renewed presentation of historic collections.