Grotte di Catullo Archaeological Museum Reopens Ahead of Tourist Season
Clear skies return to the Archaeological Museum of the Grotte di Catullo and good news arrives just before the start of the new tourist season. After a rocky start with operations described as ‘intermittent,’ the recruitment of new staff will finally ensure that the many visitors flocking to the small towns around Lake Garda can view the beautiful artifacts housed here.
Inauguration of the New Structure
The resumption of activities is marked by the inauguration ceremony of the new building located at the entrance of the archaeological area of the Grotte di Catullo, which covers six hectares. The event has been scheduled by the Superintendence of Archaeology of Lombardy for 6 p.m. today.
It is worth emphasizing that this initiative is of great significance as it coincides with the start of the tourist season, when the influx of visitors and tourists becomes substantial across all lakeside towns, and the demand for culture picks up again.
Not coincidentally, the Grotte di Catullo (which, as many know, are the remains of a large Roman villa dating back to the 1st century AD) are among Italy’s most popular archaeological sites after Pompeii and a few others. In fact, last year, the site received over 220,000 visitors.
The Value of the Archaeological Heritage
Therefore, the archaeological area represents a treasure for the local and Garda communities, just as other Roman villas in the region do. Starting with the villa in Desenzano with its polychrome mosaics, and also including those in Toscolano and Garda (in the Verona area), which deserve to be promoted.
At Sirmione, visits to the remains of an impressive Roman villa have been enriched by the creation of a dedicated museum. Building the facility took five years. Afterwards, an exhibition was set up displaying materials from the excavations of the villa itself: frescoes, architectural elements, coins, various objects, as well as artifacts from other villas around Garda.
The museum showcases items that testify to the importance of the ancient center of Sirmione from prehistoric times through to the Middle Ages. These have been found in Bronze Age stilt settlements, the other Roman villa discovered in recent years beneath the historic center, as well as in churches and Lombard cemeteries. The museum opened in June of last year.
It was one of 20 Italian museums included in the project “Art Under the Stars,” which offered extended hours, guided tours, and Saturday evening visits until nearly midnight. However, a few months later, staff shortages led to its weekly closure, and it remained open only on Sundays.
The Superintendence addressed the staffing gaps, along with Senator Massimo Wilde, through a parliamentary inquiry and requests to the Ministry officials. Now, the issue appears to be resolved.
Inauguration and Museum Hours
The Superintendence, in inviting authorities and the public to the inauguration, assures that there will now be a permanent and regular opening, with the same hours as the archaeological area — every day except Monday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The museum indeed serves as a prelude to visiting the large Roman villa.
