Museo Archeologico “Ubaldo Formentini”

The Ubaldo Formentini Archaeological Museum in La Spezia's San Giorgio Castle presents finds from prehistoric Lunigiana, Roman Luni and later periods.

Why it matters

The museum links the archaeology of the Gulf of La Spezia with the region's long history. Its collection of Lunigiana statue stele documents Copper and Iron Age communities, while Roman material from Luni illuminates the ancient port and nearby marble district. The setting in a Genoese fortress brings the area's prehistoric, Roman and medieval histories together.

What to notice

The statue stele feature carved human forms and symbolic markings from the Copper and Iron Ages. The Roman galleries include architectural fragments, sculpture and funerary monuments from Luni. A collection donated by artist Mauro Manfredi includes Greek, Messapian, Daunian, Etruscan and Corinthian vessels from the first millennium BC. The castle's ramparts, vaulted rooms and terrace are part of the historic setting.

Context and history

The civic museum was established in 1873, initially with natural history collections. Roman antiquities from Luni formed a major part of its archaeological holdings after the Fabbricotti collection was acquired by a consortium led by the municipality in 1938. The museum is named for Ubaldo Formentini, its director from 1923 to 1958. Following restoration of San Giorgio Castle, the collections moved there in 1985; later donations, including Manfredi's, expanded the museum.