Museo Archeologico di Santa Maria delle Monache

The Santa Maria delle Monache Archaeological Museum in Isernia presents the history of the city and its territory from the archaic period to the Middle Ages. Housed in a former Benedictine convent, it includes Roman inscriptions and finds from the Samnite sanctuary at Pietrabbondante.

Why it matters

The museum connects the archaeology of Roman Aesernia with the earlier and later history of the region. Its displays bring together material from the city and from the Samnite sanctuary of Pietrabbondante, illustrating the communities that shaped Molise before and during Roman rule.

What to notice

Inscriptions and other stone artefacts form a central part of the collection, documenting the civic and funerary life of Roman Isernia. The galleries also include material from the archaic period through the Middle Ages, with a section devoted to the sanctuary at Pietrabbondante.

Context and history

The building has a long institutional history. It served as a Benedictine convent before later uses as barracks, prison and library. The town's antiquarium was established in 1934, and the collection developed into a state archaeological museum. A redesigned exhibition opened in 2022, organising the material around the history of Isernia and its territory.