Museo Archeologico Paolo Giovio

The Paolo Giovio Archaeological Museum in Como occupies Palazzo Giovio, the Renaissance residence of the family associated with the museum’s namesake. Its collections trace human settlement around Lake Como from prehistory through the Roman period and include a notable group of Egyptian, Greek and Magna Graecia antiquities.

Why it matters

The civic museum brings together archaeological finds from the Como area with collections assembled by scholars and collectors. Its holdings range from prehistoric tools and lake-dweller finds to Roman inscriptions, Egyptian and Greek antiquities, bronzes, gems and coins. Palazzo Giovio provides a historic setting for this account of the region’s ancient cultures.

What to notice

The museum’s collections include flint tools, finds from prehistoric lake settlements and Roman inscriptions. The lapidary records the history of Como through inscriptions and coats of arms. Egyptian and Greek antiquities, Magna Graecia objects, small bronzes, gems, vases and coins reflect the museum’s collecting history alongside the archaeological record.

Context and history

Palazzo Giovio has been associated with the Giovio family since the thirteenth century. Benedetto Giovio reshaped the building in the sixteenth century, and later alterations gave it its Baroque character. The civic museum opened in 1897 as part of Como’s public museum system and took the name of Paolo Giovio, the sixteenth-century physician, historian and collector. The collections grew through archaeological discoveries and private donations.