- Free 1st Sunday
Photo: Cristina Delmi, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Museum, 1996
Museum of the Prehistory of Tuscia and of the Rocca Farnese
Museum in Italy
At a glance
- Type
- Museum
- Period
- Modern era, 1996
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 42°34′07″ N, 11°49′10″ E
- Address
- Piazza Vittoria, 11, 01018 Valentano
History and description
The Museum of the Prehistory of Tuscia and of the Rocca Farnese is a museum in Valentano, northern Lazio, Italy. It was opened in June 1996, the museum is located in the highest part of the village, within the Rocca Farnese itself.
It is divided into different areas located on two floors.
First floor: Prehistoric, Etruscan and Roman Sections
The Prehistoric section has artifacts from Tuscia: Chopper (cutting tools used by early hominids), bifaces, scrapers, retouched tips, brooches, and engraved funeral stones, complemented by an educational department that analyses topics arising from prehistorically finds in central Italy starting from the Lower Paleolithic through to the Neolithic Age and from the copper age to the Bronze Age, ending with a small section on the Iron Age.
Within the Etruscan collection, donated by Monsignor Giovanni D'Ascenzi, there are ceramics from Villanovan, Etruscan, Attic and Corinthian cultures in addition to Phoenician glass paste, and other objects from this period including bronze figures and bone.
The first floor ends with the Roman section, where there are various finds from Valentano e.g.,
coins, millstones and architectural elements.
Second floor: Mediaeval, Renaissance and Modern Sections
This part of the museum revolves around the history of Rocca Farnese and the development of Valentano from the mediaeval times until the contemporary era, with particular attention to the Farnese family who ruled over the Duchy of Castro.
The first showcase is dedicated to Lombard domination with findings such as a sax (sword) in iron plus famous ceramics found in small pits surrounding the fort. These areas were used during epidemics when a pit was dug to dispose of the belongings of the deceased.
The other exhibits, dedicated to the Farnese family, include a wedding plate bearing the coat of arms of the Farnese/Orsini families on the marriage between Pier Luigi Farnese and Girolama Orsini.
The tour finishes inside the castle with a visit to the top of the octagonal tower, which dominates the town.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Museum of the Prehistory of Tuscia and of the Rocca Farnese».
Timeline
- 1996Founded and opened
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
Address
Piazza Vittoria, 11, 01018 Valentano
Lago di Bolsena7.5 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore museums in Lazio
- Free 1st Sunday
- Free 1st Sunday
- Free 1st Sunday
Frequently asked questions
Where is Museum of the Prehistory of Tuscia and of the Rocca Farnese?
Museum of the Prehistory of Tuscia and of the Rocca Farnese is in Valentano, in the province of Viterbo (Lazio), Italy. Address: Piazza Vittoria, 11, 01018 Valentano. GPS coordinates: 42.56857, 11.81936.
How old is Museum of the Prehistory of Tuscia and of the Rocca Farnese?
Wikidata dates it to 1996.
What else is there to see near Museum of the Prehistory of Tuscia and of the Rocca Farnese?
Nearby you’ll find: Visentium (4.6 km away), Rocca di Ischia di Castro (6.1 km away), Palazzo Farnese (6.5 km away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 2 photos
- Castellopippo — Cristina Delmi, Public domain
- Court 1 — Cristina Delmi, Public domain
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences