Nine trails to explore this unique museum and discover the great Etruscan civilization: the new multimedia guide to the “National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia” is a journey through history, narrated in numerous micro-stories.

First we can learn something of the monumental buildings which house the most important collections in the Etruscan civilization: the beautiful Villa Giulia, the first leg of our tour, and the adjacent Villa Poniatowski. Through frescoed rooms with painted ceilings, under porticoes and in the gardens, we follow nine thematic trails to learn about the lives of these people who, until just a few years ago, were thought of as the most mysterious of all the populations in ancient Italy. This is a civilization which left its mark in extraordinary works such as the “Sarcophagus of the Spouses” which comes from Cerveteri and dates back to the 6th century B.C., as does the famous statue of “Apollo” from Veii, made of coloured terracotta.And we must not forget the terracotta high-relief of the “Seven against Thebes”, from the 5th century B.C., discovered in Pyrgi, the ancient port of Cerveteri, along with the Gold Tablets inscribed in Etruscan and Phoenician which provided scholars with a key to understanding their language.

Our journey will include amazing historic collections such as the jewellery of the Castellani family, among Rome’s most famous goldsmiths, who, in the 19th century, inspired by the precious accessories of Etruscan women, crafted necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

In planning these nine thematic trails, including a MUST-SEE route dedicated to exceptional masterpieces, the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia hopes to accompany the visitor on a journey of discovery, touching on all the aspects of this ancient civilization, from everyday routine to extraordinary events such as lavish funeral ceremonies and, in so doing, unveil the secrets of their culture, their myths and their religious beliefs.