A day at the Archaeological Museum of Casteggio and Oltrepò Pavese

The Museum of Casteggio, or rather, the Civic Archaeological Museum of Casteggio and the Oltrepò Pavese known as MAC, is a fascinating place rich in history, a history dating back thousands of years.

The MAC was founded in 1974 thanks to a group of local enthusiasts and the municipal administration, following a very important discovery: that of two Roman tombs.

The museum is housed in the rooms of the Palazzo Certosa Cantù in the municipality of Casteggio, a locality in the foothills of the Oltrepò Pavese where there have been settlements of ancient civilisations since the Neolithic period.

The Archaeological Museum of Casteggio offers a fascinating time journey through prehistory, Roman, Longobard, Late Antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with thematic focuses on cave painting and the manufacture of ceramic objects and mosaics, the customs of the local populations through the passing of the centuries, and again, the living habits of the Romans who also colonised this area of the peninsula.

This beautiful Archaeological Museum is synonymous with culture and fun for all age groups.
After all, who as a child has never dreamed of being an archaeologist, a palaeontologist, or of becoming a student of Piero Angela?

A visit to the Casteggio Museum means:

• spending time with the family
• learning about history in an interesting and entertaining way
• learn about the history of a territory – the Oltrepò Pavese
• make an out-of-town trip a stone’s throw from Pavia and Milan and with the convenience of the motorway exit for those arriving from other parts of Lombardy or Liguria, Emilia Romagna and Piedmont.

In the rooms on the ground and upper floors, the past comes to life through various archaeological finds.
One can admire, for example, shark teeth dating back to the Miocene …
Unbelievable to think that there were sharks (and therefore ocean) where you can now admire Monte Vallassa, in the Staffora Valley!

It is the ideal place for an exciting day out and for activities with children, even when the weather is bad; in particular, there are various educational activities and workshops for children, on rock painting, the art of ceramics, and mosaic making.

Palazzo Certosa Cantù also houses the Library: in addition to reading, the Library is also available for private events.

📍Savethe date: Sunday 22 September is the reopening day of the Museum.
For times and rates please consult the MAC website.

Here, then, is one of the good intentions upon returning from these 2024 holidays: to get to know the Oltrepò Pavese also through its cultural proposals and discover the secrets of the past, with a fascinating journey through ancient civilisations.
You cannot miss the opportunity to experience such a distant history up close!