Visit the MArTA in Taranto: the Gold of Magna Graecia, opening times, tickets and directions. One of the most important archaeological museums in Italy.
History
The MArTA was founded in 1887, at the height of the Borgo Umbertino's urban expansion: the excavations for the new city east of the Navigable Canal were unearthing an immense archaeological heritage, at risk of being scattered on the antiques market. To protect it, archaeologist Luigi Viola secured the establishment of a museum in the former convent of the Alcantarine friars, an eighteenth-century building.
Over the twentieth century the museum was repeatedly extended, culminating in the major refurbishment completed in 2016 with the opening of the second floor. Today the MArTA is regarded as one of the most important archaeological museums in Italy and the Mediterranean, with a route spanning Taranto's history from Prehistory to the Early Middle Ages.
What to see
The exhibition unfolds over two floors, in chronological order: you start on the second floor with the Palaeolithic and Neolithic, pass through the foundation of the Greek colony and the classical and Hellenistic city, then descend to the first floor for the Roman, late antique and early medieval ages.
The heart of the museum is the celebrated Gold of Taranto: Hellenistic goldsmithery of extraordinary refinement, among the most important in the world. Alongside it, masterpieces such as the sculptural group of Orpheus and the Sirens and a rich collection of ceramics, sculptures and grave goods narrating the greatness of Magna Graecian Taranto.
Did you know…
- The MArTA holds one of the world's most important collections of ancient goldsmithery, the Gold of Taranto.
- The museum is housed in a former eighteenth-century convent of the Alcantarine friars.
- All contents and signage are bilingual, Italian and English.
- The route includes tactile, 3D and olfactory sections for a visit accessible to everyone.
Practical information
| Hours | Tuesday to Sunday 8:30 – 19:30 (last entry 19:00). Mondays reserved for groups. Closed 1 January and 25 December. |
|---|---|
| Ticket | Full €10 · Reduced 18-25 years €2 · Free under 18 and on the first Sunday of the month. |
| Accessibility | Accessible to visitors with disabilities: lift, tactile routes and ground-floor education room. |
| Getting there | At via Cavour 10, in the Borgo Umbertino. A few minutes' walk from the railway station and the seafront. |
Tips for your visit
- Allow at least an hour and a half to two hours to visit both floors at ease.
- Online booking is not compulsory but recommended at weekends and in high season.
- Take advantage of the first Sunday of the month for free entry.
- Combine the visit with the Old Town, within walking distance.