The 'Ombra della Sera' statue influenced the aesthetic of Alberto Giacometti's famous elongated sculptures.
The collection originated from the private bequest of Mario Guarnacci, a local priest and scholar.
The museum holds one of the largest collections of Etruscan funerary urns in the world.
Many of the urns feature lid sculptures depicting the deceased in a banquet pose, often with highly individualized facial features.
The museum houses an inscribed bronze plate, the 'Laminetta di Piombino,' illustrating ritual practice.
The Museo Etrusco Mario Guarnacci is one of the oldest public museums in Europe, established in 1761 to house artifacts from the ancient city of Volterra. Its collection centers on the civilization of the Etruscans, who inhabited this hilltop site for centuries. The museum is most famous for the 'Ombra della Sera,' a remarkably elongated bronze votive statuette dating back to the 3rd century BC. The galleries contain over 600 funerary urns carved from local alabaster and tufa, documenting shifting artistic styles from the Hellenistic period. Visitors can explore personal jewelry, ceramics, and architectural fragments excavated from the surrounding necropolises. The museum occupies the historic Palazzo Desideri Tangassi, a 16th-century building in the city center. It functions as a primary repository for research into the Northern Etruscan sphere. Extensive epigraphic collections offer insight into the Etruscan language, which remains partially undeciphered.
The main gallery display case featuring the Ombra della Sera.
Combine your visit with a walk through the nearby Roman Theater for a complete archaeological timeline.
Focus on the alabaster urns, as they are specific to the unique geology of the Volterra region.
Take advantage of the museum's proximity to local artisan workshops to see how modern alabaster carving preserves ancient traditions.
Do not attempt to touch the artifacts; the alabaster urns are particularly fragile and sensitive to skin oils.
The museum maintains reduced operating days during the winter off-season.
