MUSEI REALI DI TORINO – MUSEO DI ANTICHITÀ

The Museum of Antiquities was born in 1940 following the separation of the Egyptian collections – which came together to form the core of the current Egyptian Museum – from the Greco-Roman collections of the Royal Museum of Antiquities, formed by the Savoy family starting in 16th century. The museum also preserves a rich heritage linked to Ancient Piedmont, with rooms dedicated to the history of Turin overlooking the evocative remains of the Roman Theatre.

The exhibition route is divided into three major sectors:

• the historical collections, housed in spaces created from greenhouses in Royal Palace;
• i archaeological materials from the Piedmont region;
• the section dedicated to’archaeology of Turin, located in the new underground space adjacent to the Roman Theatre, which becomes an integral part of the visit.

The historical collections represent the original core of the museum and begin with Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, expanded by his successors and reorganised by Vittorio Amedeo II, who donated them to the University of Turin. From 1989 the archaeological collections have been rearranged in the Orangeries of the Royal Palace.

A partially underground pavilion, designed by architects Roberto Gabetti e Aimaro Island and inaugurated in 1998, houses artefacts from excavations in Piedmont and connects the Orangeries to the underground rooms of the New Wing of the Royal Palace.

Over the centuries, the collection has been enriched by important discoveries and acquisitions in the nineteenth century. Among the most significant finds are the bronzes of Industrythe Silver Treasure of Marengo and the Lombard trousseaus from the Lingotto and Testona necropolises.

Finally, the museum offers temporary exhibitions, guided tours and cultural activities dedicated to the knowledge and appreciation of the ancient world.